Former San Francisco official arrested for knife hold-up outside food bank: Police

SAN FRANCISCO (TCD) --

A former public works director for San Francisco was arrested Wednesday when he allegedly approached someone with a knife at a local food bank and attempted to rob them.

The San Francisco Police Department published a statement on social media saying officers from the Bayview Station responded to a call on the 1000 block of Marin Street at 11:18 a.m. about a man with a knife.

When officers arrived at the scene, which KGO-TV identified as the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, the victim told officers he was "approached by an adult male suspect who produced a knife and demanded the victim's property." The man left the area and called police.

The suspect, Mohammed Nuru, was arrested and booked at the San Francisco County Jail on a count of second-degree robbery.

KGO reports Nuru, 58, allegedly attempted to steal a bag of chips as well, but then reportedly said he was joking. According to KGO, Nuru volunteers at the food bank and was working there when the incident occurred.

The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank's communications manager Keely Hopkins told KGO Nuru approached someone in the break room who was eating potato chips. Nuru was allegedly holding a kitchen knife similar to the ones they use at the food bank. The person left and called police.

In January 2020, the Department of Justice announced Nuru was indicted in a pay-to-play scheme involving a San Francisco restauranteur and alleged attempts to bribe a San Francisco Airport Commissioner.

United States Attorney David L. Anderson said Nuru was involved in a "web of corruption involving bribery, kickbacks, and side deals."

In February, the Justice Department wrote in another statement, the owner of a recycling plant in the Bay Area admitted to bribing Nuru — who was in charge of the Department of Public Works at the time — with a gold Rolex valued at $36,550.

Nuru's corruption charges are still reportedly making their way through the courts. Online jail records did not show a court date regarding Wednesday's alleged attempted robbery.

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