Collier Gwin arrested for spraying homeless woman

• Collier Gwin, 71, charged with misdemeanor violence.
• He could spend up to six months in jail and pay a $2,000 (£1,600) fine.
• Video went viral online showing him dousing homeless woman with water.

A San Francisco art gallery owner who used a hose to spray a homeless lady has been taken into custody, according to authorities.

Following uproar over a video showing Collier Gwin, 71, dousing a woman with water outside his gallery on January 9, he has been charged with misdemeanor violence.

According to the city’s district attorney, he could spend up to six months in jail and pay a $2,000 (£1,600) fine.

Since then, Mr. Gwin has expressed regret for his behavior and called it inexcusable.

In the video that went viral online, he was seen standing outside his store, aiming the jet of water at the woman who was seated on the sidewalk for a while before stopping to order her to get away.

London Breed, the mayor of the city, was among those who voiced shock over the footage, saying last week that it made her think of how the police handled civil rights demonstrations in the 1960s.

One local man, Alex Sakiyama, told San Francisco news station he felt the incident was “really disturbing”, adding that the woman sleeps rough in the local area and can often be heard screaming at night.

“I think it’s not okay no matter how bothered you are in any given situation. I think it’s not okay to spray water at someone,” he said.

Announcing the charge, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said: “The alleged battery of an unhoused member of our community is completely unacceptable. Mr Gwin will face appropriate consequences for his actions.”

But she also noted that “the vandalism at Foster Gwin gallery is also completely unacceptable and must stop – two wrongs don’t make a right”.

San Francisco Police originally responded to the incident on Montgomery Street in the city’s Financial District around midday local time on 9 January, but said both Mr Gwin and the woman “declined further police action at that time”, the force said.

But the investigation was later handed over to the the force’s Street Crisis Response Team, who investigated the incident further and requested an arrest warrant from the district attorney.

Speaking to local radio station last week, Mr Gwin said: “I’m very, very sorry, I’m not going to defend myself, I’m not going to, because I can’t defend that.”

After attempting to help the woman, allowing her to spend days sleeping in his doorway, and cleaning up after her, he notified the station that the incident had occurred.

Mr. Gwin stated that during the course of two weeks, he and other nearby business owners had made more than 20 calls to the police and social services.

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