A man accused of stabbing a woman in San Francisco's Chinatown on Monday returned to court Thursday to face multiple felony charges, but his hearing was postponed.
Fook Poy Lai, 61, allegedly stabbed a 58-year-old woman in front of a bakery in Chinatown, leaving her "seriously injured," prosecutors said.
Witnesses at the scene told NBC Bay Area that Lai didn’t say anything but just walked in and attacked the victim. A source shared a photo of the man outside after the attack.
Lai's public defender asked for more time, and the judge granted it.
Lai is charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, battery causing serious bodily injury, false imprisonment and second-degree burglary, the District Attorney's Office said.
At about 9:50 a.m. Monday, police responded to a business in the 1000 block of Stockton Street on a report of a stabbing. The victim was found suffering from an apparent stab wound.
Lai was taken into custody on Monday. Prosecutors said Lai was on parole for an attempted murder conviction in 2016 for stabbing an elderly man in Portsmouth Square in San Francisco. He was given nine years in prison.
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Prosecutors have asked to have Lai held with no bail and to have his probation revoked, the District Attorney's Office said.
“We have this level of violent conduct when we believe someone was intending to take another person’s life and that’s why its critically important that we advocated to keep him in custody. Also in light of his past criminal history as well,” said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.
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If convicted, he is facing a life sentence.
Bay City News contributed to the report.
