[This story was updated after publication. Scroll down for details.]
Police have arrested one of two suspects in the case of an attempted armed robbery and severe pistol whipping of 50-year-old Berkeley resident David Thornton on Feb. 10 this year.
Berkeleyside reported on the attack and reaction from the community in the South Berkeley neighborhood where the attack occurred in March. Thornton was heading to his home from Ashby BART, after spending the evening in San Francisco, when he was ambushed by two men. He was so badly beaten with a gun on his chest and face that he sustained multiple facial fractures. The assailants fled without stealing anything. Thornton was left to crawl home bleeding profusely.
Thornton’s attack was one of six robberies that took place in South Berkeley in a three-week period between January 22 and February 11.
The city of Berkeley Police Department confirmed to Berkeleyside that it had made an arrest in the case, but could not at this point provide further details.
Update, 10:20 p.m. The Berkeley Police Department released the following information to Berkeleyside:
“On May 5, 2011, members of the City of Berkeley Robbery Detail served a search warrant in the 1600 block of Russell Street during which they arrested Terryl Lynn Rucker, a 23 year old male of Berkeley. He was positively identified as the suspect in the February 10, 2011 attempted armed robbery and pistol whipping of a 50 year old Berkeley man. The crime happened in the 3100 block of Ellis Street at about 11:29 p.m. during which the victim suffered significant facial injuries at the hands of the suspect.
“The Alameda County District Attorney (DA) charged Rucker with the Ellis Street robbery and another attempted robbery of a couple that occurred just moments later at Prince and Harper Streets. In addition, he was charged with a February 25, 2011 robbery. In that robbery in the 1600 block of Woolsey Street, a man was walking at about 7:05 p.m. when he was confronted by two suspects and was robbed of a laptop and an iPhone. The victim in that case sustained some minor injuries to his face and complaint of pain. He declined medical assessment and treatment at the scene.
“During the search warrant on Russell Street, detectives found cocaine base and marijuana, both quantities consistent for sales of both. (violations of H&S11351.5 and H&S11359) The second suspect in the cases has not been identified and/or arrested.
“BPD is always concerned about the possibility of compromise of any other related investigations, in the City of Berkeley and/or neighboring communities, thus at times we do not share suspect arrests right away.”
