A social worker died Saturday from wounds sustained in a knife attack at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center earlier in the week, raising concerns over safety at the hospital.
Investigators believe Wilfredo Tortolero Arriechi stabbed the 31-year-old social worker multiple times in the neck and shoulder around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Tortolero Arriechi was allegedly seeking one of the doctors who worked at the clinic.
The victim has not been identified.
Shortly before the attack, hospital staff asked for more security for a doctor who had received threats from a patient at Ward 86, the HIV clinic.
The sheriff’s deputy who was there to provide security heard the attack and intervened, but not in time to prevent the deadly wounds. A five-inch kitchen knife was recovered from the scene.
The union representing the victim has been, “sounding the alarm about critical safety issues at San Francisco General Hospital for years,” said University Professional and Technical Employees President Dan Russell in a statement.
“Workers have been assaulted, traumatized, and forced to deal with unsafe working conditions for far too long,” he said.
He said union members “are devastated to learn of the death of a remarkable, compassionate, and dedicated social worker, who was beloved by their family, friends, colleagues, and fellow union members.”
Tortolero Arriechi, 34, was at the hospital for a scheduled appointment and had reportedly made threats beforehand to a doctor, according to the San Francisco Sheriff‘s Office. He had been known to hospital staff and a regular patient at Ward 86, Mission Local reported.
Tortolero Arriechi was arrested shortly after the attack and booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem and being armed during the commission of a felony .
The San Francisco homicide detail is leading the investigation and said Saturday it will be updating the charges in the case.
