Unhoused senior honored after stopping attack in Oakland's Chinatown

An unhoused senior was honored Tuesday for intervening in a violent attack on an Oakland Chinatown grocery store worker.

The incident happened last Thursday at Oakland Chinatown's Won Kee Grocery store.

A surveillance video captured a suspect hitting a worker when asked to check in his bag. That's when 71-year-old Tom Jensen confronted the attacker, scaring him away.

Minutes later, the suspect returned and attacked Jensen from behind, knocking him to the ground and hitting him before running away.

“My worst injury was falling backwards on something sharp and I had a backache for a while,” Jensen said.

Jensen refused to be taken to be taken to the hospital.

Earlier Tuesday, Oakland city leaders and the community gathered to recognize him, giving him commendations, flowers and cash to say thank you.

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Won Kee Grocery Owner Shirley Luo said she considers Jensen part of her grocery store family now. She offered him free lunch and groceries from now on.

“Tom very good. I like Tom,” she said. “You can get some food every week. I can help you. I must help you.”

Customers are also applauding Tom's actions. The good Samaritan said he just did what he thinks anyone should. But he hopes his actions help erase the negative stigma surrounding the unhoused.