The city is grappling with the aftermath of a senseless act of violence which claimed the life of Colden Kimber, a 28-year-old man known for his cycling prowess and exceptional kind spirit. According to KGO, Kimber was fatally stabbed at a Muni stop in San Francisco's Taraval District while reportedly trying to shield a mother and her children from an aggressive stranger.
Last weekend, as Kimber awaited the "K" train with his girlfriend, court documents cited by KGO revealed he attempted to position himself between the unidentified man, yelling at the family, and potential danger. It was during this moment of vigilance, ultimately his last, the suspect Sean Collins allegedly launched the unprovoked attack, stabbing Kimber on the right side of his neck. The community, embraced in shock, remembered Colden Kimber not just for the void that his untimely departure leaves behind, but for the protective framework he attempted to offer that day.
Collins, the 29-year-old suspect in the stabbing, was arrested and is now facing homicide charges, with his arraignment set for August 14, reported by KRON. The San Francisco Police Department quickly apprehended Collins following the incident, and he was booked into the San Francisco County Jail.
In the community where Kimber was a beloved figure, the ripple effects of his absence extend far, touching more than just the cycling community he was so actively a part of. "He is totally irreplaceable as a worker, and totally irreplaceable as a friend and person and someone who had a good influence in my life," Bradley Woehl, the owner of American Cyclery where Kimber was employed, confided to KGO. Thrown into a canvas of sorrow and disbelief, Kimber's coworkers and friends are now trying to navigate the space he once filled with life and camaraderie.
As details of Kimber's character and life continue to emerge, a GoFundMe page has been set up to support his family through this tragic time. The fundraiser narrates Kimber's fate, met while waiting at a bus stop surrounded by families and children, and speaks to the devastation that has cascaded through multiple communities on both coasts. The contributions would facilitate the arrangement of memorial events to honor his life in San Francisco and back in New York, his home state. As the trial looms over the bereaved, the fundraiser also seeks to help with navigating the expenses and logistics of a criminal homicide trial from afar.
A memorial ride to celebrate Kimber's life is scheduled for September 7 at the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park, as per the announcement from his loved ones. The San Francisco cycling community is expected to come out in numbers, to pedal in unison, remembering the kind-hearted cyclist who had a lasting impact on those who knew him and even those he stood up to protect in his final moments.
