Suspect who was allegedly seen pushing 63-year-old Chinese woman victim to death in Bayview released after being interviewed by police, according to sources

(SAN FRANCISCO) An African American woman, who was allegedly seen pushing a 63-year-old Chinese immigrant woman to the ground and the victim died later, were released after being interviewed by police, according to multiple sources and community members.

Yan Fang Wu, an immigrant from China about 10 years ago and a restaurant worker in the Sunset District, was pushed to the ground at 6:40 p.m. on July 3 at Third and Egbert Streets when she walked home after getting off from a bus in Bayview. She died two days later in the hospital.

The suspect in the case was a dark-skinned mid age woman. Wu's husband who was on the way to pick up his wife at the bus stop witnessed Wu falling to the ground.

Members of the Chinese community have learned from different sources that the female suspect in the Wu case was arrested and released at a later time. The charges against her were dismissed.

The Asian community was shocked to hear the unprovoked attack and believed it was an anti-Asian hate violence. The community also urged the Police Department and the District Attorney's Office to take immediate actions to file charges against the individual involved in the attack.

Multiple sources also told Wind Newspaper that the suspect in the Wu case was detained in the beginning, but later was released after an interview by the police and no charges were filed against her.

The Chinese community also has learned the female suspect argued that it was an accident.

"Unbelievable!" Visitacion Valley leader Marlene Tran responded. "Besides offering our deepest condolences to the grieving families and friends of all the attacks, we hope their perpetrators will be arrested and charged so that Justice will prevail."

"The devastating news of more elderly female crime victims brings additional fears to the vulnerability to our aging populations. Last year my 73-year old former Citizenship student was so violently pushed near the Metreon that she suffered two broken hands in addition to face injuries," Tran added.

"Worst of all, this senior has been very afraid to even venture out of her Tenderloin apartment after this unprovoked attack," Tran was saddened to hear that the Bayview tragedy.

Police Chief William Scott provided an update on the Wu case in the July 12 Police Commission meeting. "The victim and her husband were walking in the area. An unknown person walked up and pushed the victim who fell to the ground. There is a very good lead to identify the person," said Scott.

The District Attorney's Office has a responsibility to review all the arrests made by the Police Department. Wind Newspaper requested both the SFPD and the District Attorney's Office to comment on the Wu case. Both departments have not responded by press time.

"There has been no arrest for this incident. This investigation remains open," the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) clarified on July 19 to that no one was arrested related to the case yet.

SFPD also issued a press release on July 19 to re-classify the Wu case from homicide to death case. "Through the course of the investigation, SFPD investigators interviewed witnesses, obtained video footage of the incident, and detained and interviewed a person of interest. It was determined that at this time there is not enough evidence to establish probable cause to make an arrest," SFPD stated.

"As of today, July 19, 2023, the San Francisco Police Department did not make an arrest in this case. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office’s jurisdiction begins when the SFPD submits a case to us for charging. The SFPD has not submitted a case to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office for charging," Randy Quezada, Communications Director of the District Attorney's Office, wrote on July 19.

According to Wu's husband, Wu lived with her husband in a rented in-law apartment in Bayview about several blocks away from the crime scene. They moved into the Bayview apartment only less than two months prior to the tragedy.

Their children are all in China. Wu's husband would walk to the bus stop every evening to pick up his wife after work. On the day of the incident, the husband walked to the bus stop as usual, but he saw his wife laying on the ground on Third Street close to Egbert Street. He saw the suspect at the scene who later fled.

A friend of Wu said Wu's husband moved out of the Bayview in-law apartment a week after the incident. He didn't want to stay in the area where he felt more devastated by remembering what had happened.

Mrs. Chen, a resident of the Bayview, could not believe an accident would cause Wu to die in that situation. "Due to the safety issues, very few people would walk in the area of Third and Egbert Streets. How would any strangers walk so close to each other causing an accident to push someone to the ground?" said Chen. " I hope the Police Department and the District Attorney take the case seriously to prosecute the suspect involved in the case. Otherwise there would be many more copycats to push more vulnerable people, particularly the elderly Asian women," Chen sighed heavily.

Editor's note: The article has been updated after receiving responses related to the Wu case both from the SFPD and the District Attorney's Office on July 19.