Prosecutor says bakery stabbing suspect
planned to kill

By Tamara Barak

May 23, 2007

Before stabbing a 14-year-old girl in a San Francisco bakery Saturday, Scott Thomas dreamed about killing for four months while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, according to a prosecutor at Thomas' arraignment in San Francisco Superior Court this morning.

In urging Judge Lucy Kelly McCabe to deny bail in the case, Assistant District Attorney Ana Gonzalez argued that the 26-year-old parolee from Van Nuys, Calif., is extremely dangerous.

"He viciously attacked a 14-year-old girl with no provocation and stabbed a good Samaritan who tried to intervene," Gonzalez said. "When he was interviewed after the crime, he said that for four months in San Quentin, he spent his time thinking about killing people."

Thomas, who was reportedly released from San Quentin the day before the incident, told authorities he wanted to commit a murder on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles, but didn't have enough money for bus fare, Gonzalez told the judge.

He allegedly stabbed the teenager Saturday at Creighton's Bakery at 673 Portola Drive.

McCabe denied bail for Thomas, a slight man who appeared shackled and with a shaved head. He was ordered to appear again on Friday, when he is scheduled to enter a plea.

He has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, one count of child endangerment and one count of assault with a deadly weapon.

The young stabbing victim is expected to survive her injuries, according to San Francisco police Sgt. Steve Mannina.

Officers arrested Thomas Saturday after a witness to the stabbing followed him. Thomas eventually ran behind Laguna Honda Hospital, where the witness pointed him out to police, Mannina said.

A man who tried to intervene during the attack on the girl received knife wounds as well, but was not seriously injured, according to authorities.

San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, who has testified before the California Legislature to call for tighter supervision of parolees and more funding to make sure they are supervised, issued a statement today expressing frustration.

"It's frustrating to see those who have committed a crime be released from prison, placed on parole and cycle back into the criminal justice system," Harris said.

Copyright © 2007 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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