San Francisco Police Arrest Suspect In Fatal Stabbing Near Elementary School

San Francisco police have arrested 42-year-old Daniel Patrick Rodriguez Jr. in connection with the fatal stabbing of 35-year-old Robert Paul Byrd II near Commodore Sloat Elementary School, where Byrd was with his 8-year-old son. The stabbing occurred Wednesday afternoon at Junipero Serra Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, prompting a citywide manhunt and a statewide alert before Rodriguez was apprehended in Tuolumne County on Friday morning. Authorities confirmed the victim and suspect did not know each other, describing the incident as a random act of violence following an altercation in which bystanders attempted to intervene. Police and city officials emphasized there is no imminent threat to the public while expressing commitment to community safety and justice. The case has deeply affected the local school community, with Commodore Sloat staff mourning the loss of a parent within their community. Investigators used surveillance footage, license plate readers, and drones to track and capture the suspect, who remains in custody as the investigation continues.