A San Francisco store clerk has died due to injuries sustained during an assault as he bravely intervened to prevent a theft.
Yowhannes “John” Tewelde, 60, a well-regarded figure in the neighborhood, died as a result of a serious brain injury sustained during an altercation at Richmond Market, San Francisco.
The incident occurred at around 9:30 pm last Thursday, Aug. 24, at the Balboa Street store. A thief had initially taken bottled water and returned a short while later to abscond with two bottles of beer. Tewelde, displaying remarkable courage, confronted the thief with a baseball bat in an effort to safeguard the store. Surveillance footage portrays the thief forcefully knocking Tewelde to the ground, causing him to impact his head on the floor. The assailant then seized the bat and carried out a forcible assault before fleeing.
Tewelde had two surgeries after the attack but never regained consciousness. He passed away in the ICU of San Francisco General Hospital.
Tewelde, who had recently attained United States citizenship and had undergone heart surgery earlier in the year, was described by his daughter, Meron, as a man of unwavering integrity. He had a deep affinity for the community he served and promptly returned to work after his surgery.
The unidentified assailant responsible for the assault remains at large.
