Samuel Douglas Day, a 48-year-old man, was sentenced to four years in prison for a violent assault at San Francisco International Airport, a crime for which he was arrested and charged with attempted homicide back in July 2022. This development follows Day's plea to assault with a deadly weapon, factoring in a prior strike on his record, according to a social media post from the San Mateo County District Attorney. The incident saw Day brandishing a knife and stabbing an airport employee without any apparent provocation as travelers surrounded the area trying to retrieve their luggage.
In July '22, Samuel Douglas Day (52) was running around the luggage carousels at SFO with a knife, eventually stabbing an employee in the back without provocation. He has pled to ADW with a prior strike and was sentenced to 4 years in prison. pic.twitter.com/zs2qjKCqEJ
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) January 6, 2026
Day's apprehension was swift; the San Francisco Police Department, which is tasked with overseeing the airport's security, reported that they detained him shortly after responding to the emergency call in Terminal 3 at the early hour of 4:55 AM that Tuesday. The victim, found near baggage carousel 4 and suffering from stab wounds, was given first aid by the officers before medics arrived and took the injured party to the hospital. The injuries were deemed non-life-threatening, per SFGATE, which further mentioned the victim's status as an airport employee and described the attack as seemingly random.
Following his arrest, Day was booked into Maguire Correctional Facility in San Mateo County. After the investigation, authorities established the grounds for his arrest. Noting the severity of the assault, the court's sentence reflects both the present offense and Day’s previous criminal encounters.
