SAN FRANCISCO — A man was arrested Sunday after allegedly knocking a San Francisco police officer unconscious, police said.
The man, Joshua Boling, 23, was seen assembling a brown shotgun on the corner of Octavia & Bush Streets at approximately 10:30 p.m. when the officer approached him. Boling and the officer then became involved in a physical altercation, during which Boling slammed the officer into a wall, knocking the officer unconscious. Boling fought off several other officers before being arrested at the 1700 block of Octavia, according to police.
The shotgun was never assembled, and police said they have yet to determine why Boling was assembling the weapon.
Boling, who police said is transient, has been charged with two counts of resisting arrest, including causing bodily injury to an officer, as well as three counts of battery, including assault on an officer. Boling is not facing charges related to the firearm, as police said they have yet to determine how Boling obtained the weapon.
The officer involved in the altercation suffered a concussion and was transported to a local hospital following the incident.
Records from the San Francisco Sheriff’s office show Boling was also arrested on June 12 and 7 of this year for burglary, grand theft, possession of stolen property, trespassing,and an outstanding warrant. And this is not the first time he has been in a physical altercation with San Francisco police.
Boling made the news last year as well, when he was involved in a fight with several San Francisco officers. According to the website San Francisco Public Defender, Boling was with another homeless person in Golden Gate Park’s Panhandle, when officers approached the woman to ask about her welfare, and a broken bicycle she was near. Boling walked away, and an officer asked him to stay and talk for a moment. Boling instead took off running, and after a foot pursuit, he fought with several officers, getting a number of injuries in the process. Boling had a pocket knife, which he had reportedly used to threaten the officers.
Boling was arrested and charged with assaulting officers, brandishing a knife at them, and resisting arrest. After a trial, however, he was found not guilty, as the jury found the police had no cause to pursue or detain him.
Read More: San Francisco Public Defender
