S.F. deputy sheriffs' union spent nearly $30K to advertise debunked narrative of social worker's stabbing

"The union spent $29,549 to promote one of those posts across Meta platforms, financial records reviewed by Mission Local show. The lionizing of the deputy, however, turned out to be inaccurate, according to multiple eyewitnesses."

"A Dec. 10 paid post funded by the Deputy Sheriffs' Association claimed a 'deputy sheriff saved Ward 86 from a rapid mass casualty stabbing.' Tsai confirmed it was staff at HIV/AIDS clinic Ward 86 who stopped the attack, not the deputy on scene."

"Witnesses also told Mission Local that it was the medical staff that intervened with Wilfredo Tortolero Arriechi as he stabbed Rangel in the neck and shoulders with a five-inch knife."

The deputy sheriffs' union spent over $29,000 to promote a post portraying a deputy as a hero during a stabbing incident at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Eyewitnesses reported that clinic staff intervened while the deputy was slow to react. Department of Public Health director Daniel Tsai confirmed that staff at Ward 86 stopped the attack, contradicting the union's claims. A paid post falsely claimed a deputy saved the clinic, and the post featured inaccuracies, including a nonsensical photo. The post reached 1.4 million views before being discontinued.

Read at Mission Local