A quiet San Francisco neighborhood, known for stunning ocean views and lush forests, has become a symbol of the city’s systemic problems involving poverty, crime, and mental health. The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit spent months uncovering the mystery of how a former English teacher became a convicted felon – caught up in drugs, homelessness, and accusations of a bizarre obsession with a woman in the woods.
WATCH EPISODE 1
A quiet San Francisco Presidio neighborhood is polarized when a homeless, meth addicted man with mental health issues takes up residence in the woods nearby. At first, packages are stolen, and kids’ toys disappear. But then, ominous notes, and an apparent obsession with one woman lead to confrontations with police, and eventually, a man hunt is underway across the city. Senior Investigative Reporter Bigad Shaban brings us Episode 1 of Saving San Francisco: 'The Man in the Woods.'
WATCH EPISODE 2
Is he violent and dangerous or harmless and misunderstood? A homeless man, who has been living in the woods of San Francisco’s Presidio, has divided a small-knit community. Some fear for their safety and want him locked up, while others believe he is being unfairly targeted and a victim himself of deep-rooted problems that continue to plague the city. Senior Investigative Reporter Bigad Shaban brings us Episode 2 of Saving San Francisco: 'In Sickness and in Health.'
WATCH EPISODE 3
Charges for hate crimes and violence land a homeless man in jail, once again, but who was he before his lengthy criminal record? A trip across the country to his hometown reveals a witty, gifted, and charismatic young man, whose college classmates believed was destined for success, even fame. One close friend is convinced opening the wrong door on a single night may have triggered decades of drugs, crime ,and homelessness. Senior Investigative Reporter Bigad Shaban brings us Episode 3 of Saving San Francisco: 'Big Angry Monsters.'
WATCH EPISODE 4
Investigating one man’s journey through homelessness and the criminal justice system in San Francisco exposes deep-rooted and systemic problems that have plagued the city for decades. Senior Investigative Reporter Bigad Shaban brings us Episode 4 of Saving San Francisco: 'Beautiful People, Wasted.'
WATCH EPISODE 5
A San Francisco woman, frustrated and fearful, says city leaders have failed to protect her from a man she believes has become dangerous and unpredictable. She’s now taking matters into her own hands. Senior Investigative Reporter Bigad Shaban brings us Episode 5 of Saving San Francisco: 'Why Should I Live in Fear?'
WATCH EPISODE 6
Inside the San Francisco County jail, a homeless man finally agrees to talk with the Investigative Unit about his crimes, drug addiction, and alleged obsession with a woman in the woods. Sometimes lucid and confident, at other times disconnected and desperate, he shares a twisted tale that intersects with many of the deep-rooted problems ailing San Francisco. Senior Investigative Reporter Bigad Shaban brings us Episode 6 of Saving San Francisco: 'I'm Not That Guy.'
WATCH THE TRAILER
Official trailer for the new streaming series 'Saving San Francisco, which searches for solutions to deep-rooted problems plaguing one of the most progressive cities in America. The six-part series premiered its first episode Feb. 28, 2022, with subsequent episodes released weekly.
THE CONNECTIONS
To find out who’s featured in our series and how they’re linked to one another and many of the problems plaguing San Francisco, hover over each photo. Then, to learn more about the tangled web of connections, click on the different pictures to reveal brief descriptions.
