The suspect accused of fatally stabbing a man last month near the Embarcadero BART station won’t face charges, the San Francisco district attorney’s office said Monday.
“We are unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the suspect was not acting in self-defense,” the DA’s office wrote to The Standard. “It is always our goal to prosecute cases ethically, fairly and impartially,”
Jonathon Wright, 36, was booked into a San Francisco jail on suspicion of murder nearly two weeks after the Nov. 13 stabbing. He had been arrested at a San Leandro BART station when transit agency police said he didn’t have proof of payment for riding the train.
The DA’s office said in its statement that police had probable cause to arrest Wright, but “criminal prosecutions require proof beyond a reasonable doubt to proceed.”
The unidentified stabbing victim was seen in security footage collapsing on Market Street near Main Street.
“Every resident and visitor deserves to feel safe, whether they are riding transit or walking our streets,” Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie posted on X after the incident. “Public safety is my top priority as we work to build a thriving San Francisco.”