SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Police Department are praising several Good Samaritans who came to the aid of a woman who was being strangled. According to the SFPD, the incident transpired on January 14 at approximately 9:21 a.m., where officers from the Northern Station responded to a report of a battery taking place at a business on the 800 block of Turk Street. Dispatchers from 911 alerted officers that a male suspect had a female store clerk in a choke hold before fleeing the scene on Franklin near Eddy Street.
Officers were able to stop witnesses upon arriving on the scene who indicated who the suspect was. He was spotted sitting on the chairs of a building on the 800 block of Franklin Street. The suspect, Brian Keith Holste, 30, of Stockton, was taken into custody without incident. He entered the convenience story and grabbed the 29 year-old female victim by the neck and started to choke her.
The victim informed authorities that Holste purchased an item 20 minutes prior and without provocation returned to the store and attacked her. Witnesses told investigating officers that they saw Holste laying on the floor with the victim in a, “choke hold,” as the woman tried to get free. The Good Samaritans were able to get Holste to release his grip and stop the attack.
Holste was booked at the San Francisco County Jail on charges of aggravated assault and burglary. The SFPD noted that the Good Samaritans efforts likely saved the victim from greater harm.
The SFPD is still investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD 24 Hour Tip Line at (415) 575-4444 or Text A Tip to Tip411 and begin the text message with SFPD. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
