Multiple women identified a man they say followed or grabbed them on city streets in recent months, asking “weird questions” and leaving his victims frightened.
The Standard spoke to three of the alleged victims Wednesday after one of them posted pictures on Nextdoor of a man she claims grabbed her Monday in the Marina district on Chestnut Street.
The woman who posted the images asked not to be named, but said she was accosted by a white male, described as being around 6 foot 4 inches, in his 30s and wearing a green tracksuit.
The man came up from behind her and put his arm around her, making her think he was someone she knew, she said. But when she saw his face, she quickly realized it was a stranger and eventually ran four blocks as he followed her.
The woman said that since posting the photos to Nextdoor on Tuesday, she “had between 20 and 30 women say this exact thing happened to them, or worse, with the same guy. So many people have told me this story. I have been encouraging them to report it to the police.”
San Francisco police confirmed they have had three reports with details similar to those provided by the women.
The three other women The Standard spoke to confirmed that the same man shown in the photographs posted on Nextdoor followed them or grabbed their arms in a similar way.
One woman said she was on her way to a Giants game on April 29 when the man grabbed her by the arm on Divisadero and asked, “what are you doing?” in a familiar tone.
She asked not to be named but said, “He was still grabbing my arm and it took me a minute to realize I didn't know who he was. Then it took me a minute to shake him off.
“It was a very quick and weird interaction, I was crossing some busy intersections over and over again and he eventually peeled off.”
The woman said it left her “pretty spooked” and said she plans to report the incident to police after reading on Nextdoor about other women’s similar experiences with the man.
A separate woman who also asked not to be named was walking along Geary Boulevard from the Target store at the intersection with Masonic when she felt she was being followed by a man so began to take a “weird route,” crossing multiple streets. When she stopped walking, so did he.
The man eventually caught up with her and began asking “weird questions” about her life, including whether she had a lot of friends and if she was in a relationship. At this point, he walked with her for several blocks.
“I ended up going to the gym as I knew it was locked and he couldn't get in,” she said. “I was worried he was going to tailgate someone into the gym. Eventually I left the gym 30 minutes later and he wasn't there anymore. I was pretty scared, he’s a pretty big guy.”
Alexandra Anderson said she was also walking along Geary Boulevard near the Target when the same man followed her for over a mile on Sept. 16.
“He wouldnt leave me alone and was saying weird things like, ‘I think we just fell in love, I think we’re soulmates’, asking me if I danced, if I sang. He asked if I was in a relationship—saying I was in a relationship with him now,” Anderson said.
She said she tried to get away from him multiple times and that the man would act like he was leaving her alone but then would return. She said he was riding a scooter and repeatedly appeared behind her.
A spokesperson for SFPD said: “There are three reports that have recently been filed with a male committing suspicious acts towards a female. These incidents are currently open and active investigations. The suspect has not been arrested at this time.”