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A homeless person was scooped into a trash truck. San Diego still not sure if it was a man or woman

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While San Diego city officials continue to investigate how a homeless person was scooped into the back of a trash truck when crews were clearing a portion of Commercial Street last month, they now say initial reports indicate the victim was a woman, not a man.

“Based on initial reports, the gender of the individual was female, and the individual left the scene,” Deputy Chief of Staff Matt Awbrey said by email Tuesday.

A story on Saturday in the San Diego Union-Tribune based on sources who spoke confidentially identified the victim as a man.

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When asked for comment for the original story, city officials did not correct the gender of the homeless person. However, they used gender-neutral language in their response.

“This was a terrible incident and all involved were shaken by what occurred,” the city said in a statement for the original story. “Based on initial accounts, city staff and the city’s abatement contractor tried to follow up with the individual, but the person immediately left the scene and couldn’t be located. Abatement activities were suspended for the day to determine exactly how this happened.”

City officials on Tuesday said they did not know definitively whether the person was a man or a woman, which is why their statement did not specify.

McDonald writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

jeff.mcdonald@utsandiego.com

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