SF Police Searching for Man Wearing MAGA Hat in Assault Investigation

San Francisco police are searching for a man wearing a "Make America Great Again" cap who slashed a man with a sword Friday night. The incident occurred after the victim tried to remove his hat, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The attack happened Friday night outside the Church of 8 Wheels, a popular roller skating rink in San Francisco's Western Addition," reports the Chronicle. "The victim was struck on the hand with the sword and transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said."

"We are still investigating what led up to the assault with the sword or edged weapon," Officer Robert Rueca, a police spokesman, said Sunday. "We know the suspect was wearing the hat. During the incident the hat came off of the suspect. The suspect and the weapon remain outstanding."

"Police initially said the victim was wearing the MAGA hat, but revised their statement Saturday," the Chronicle reported.

"I can't speak to the discrepancy in the information," Rueca said. "There was a lot of information being put out there that we were still looking to confirm so that may have led to the confusion."

Rueca said that investigators are looking for video surveillance footage.

Steve Sweeney, 24, an eyewitness to the attack, told the Chronicle that "he and his girlfriend were leaving a liquor store across the street from the rink about half an hour before the attack when the man in the hat came up to them and shouted homophobic slurs."

He added that man seemed confused as to what he was doing. He also noted a large knife tucked into his jacket, but didn't take the knife very seriously.

"In my mind I didn't think it was a real sword until we came out later and police were on the scene and there was blood and the hat on ground," Sweeney told the Chronicle.

David Miles (who goes by the nickname "Sk8father"), who started the rink, told the paper that "he was inside during the dispute and didn't see the attack but ran out to help the victim, who was 'gushing blood.'

"'I gotta do something about this, gotta up the security,' he said, noting that he's considering setting up additional surveillance cameras. 'Even though he didn't come into the church, he could have. This could have been worse.'"