Arrest made in San Francisco bar stabbing that left patron gravely injured
A man was charged with attempted murder in what prosecutors called an unprovoked stabbing at a San Francisco bar last week, authorities said.
The incident happened on June 24 at The Fishbowl Bar & Grill on Divisadero Street in the city's Lower Pacific Heights. In a press release, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office identified the suspect as 43-year-old Patrick Hamer.
The D.A.'s Office cited court records as saying Hamer allegedly followed the victim into the bathroom of the bar and stabbed him multiple times in the face, neck and chest. Hamer also allegedly fought with other patrons trying to stop him and fled from the scene, according to the record cited by the D.A.'s Office.
identified the victim as Taylor "TJ" Vindigni, a bartender at The Snug cocktail bar on Fillmore Street. Vindigni was having a beer with a friend at Fishbowl after finishing a shift at The Snug, and went to use the restroom when he was attacked, the Standard said.
The Standard also reported that Vindigni said the attack came from "a random stranger sitting at the bar."
A GoFundMe online fundraiser for Vindigni's medical expenses and missed wages has raised $30,000 out of its $50,000 goal as of Tuesday afternoon. The page indicated Vindigni suffered serious injuries that required treatment in the hospital's ICU.
Aside from the attempted murder charge, Hamer was also charged with using a deadly weapon, inflicting great bodily injury, and mayhem. He was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday.
The D.A. Office said Hamer remained in custody, and that the office would seek to keep him in custody due to the public safety risk he poses.
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the San Francisco Police Department tip line at 415-575-4444 or send a text to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.
