Watch CBS News

About The Bay: SF's 16th St. Mission BART Station Bay Area's Worst?

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — While nearly everyone has already seen the viral video of the wild and crazed naked guy terrorizing BART commuters at the 16th St. Mission Station in San Francisco, hardly anyone who uses the station is surprised.

The site may be the worst transit stop in the Bay Area.

"It's like breath of fresh urine every morning," said Miley, a woman who commutes during the week. "Just getting off of BART and on the bus, I saw a guy get assaulted on the bus and these guys got off and then chased our bus."

Three weeks ago, there was a triple-shooting nearby.

About The Bay: SF's 16th & Mission Street BART Station

An online petition called "Clean Up The Plaza" has been set up to ask City Hall to do something it.

Going up the station's escalator to the aboveground plaza, you can find a thriving market that is strictly underground. While spending some time there, I was able to purchase a USB plug cable for $2 and was offered some crack with a bonus "date with Margarita" in her room--for $5.

"We recognize that it's got issues. Our stations at every location they're at—every footprint that we have—are a microcosm of the surrounding area," BART Deputy Police Chief Ben Farrow said.

"We are actually looking at some redeployment options and some ways of increasing the presence, or at least the perceived presence, of officers there," said Farrow.

BART Naked Man
A naked man accosts passengers at the 16th and Mission BART Station. (Anwash12/YouTube)

Farrow noted that patrolling the large Mission District means dealing with a lot of serious calls resulting in not enough officers to monitor the station plaza more often.

Miley said she can't help notice the difference between Valencia Street just up a few blocks from the station with its trendy restaurants, cafes and posh shops.

"It's depressing the way that Valencia Street is gentrifying, it's like a really stark contrast between all the rich people moving into this neighborhood and then the people who need help," she said.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.