The State - News from March 6, 1985

A retired gardener faces a murder charge for allegedly pumping three shots into an unarmed “street person” the suspect said threatened him on a busy street in downtown San Francisco. Using a .357 magnum he carried without a permit, Tony C. Thomas, 68, reportedly fired four close-range shots at his alleged attacker, a man in his 20s or 30s, police said. The man was struck once in the head. Thomas then fired two more shots into the victim’s stomach as he lay on the sidewalk, police said. The unidentified victim died after nine hours of surgery. Thomas told police he bought the gun two years ago and carried it without a permit for “protection against hoodlums.” Thomas said he and the other man collided accidentally on the street, angry words were exchanged and, in the words of Officer Jim Bloesch, “The man doubled up both his fists and that was it. The shooting began.”