North Beach Truffle Shop Owner Allegedly Attacked Inside Store

The owner of a longstanding truffle shop in North Beach, XOX Truffles Inc., says he was “assaulted at the store by homeless people” this past week, and rescued from danger by his 13 year old son. CBS SF, who followed the story, reports that SFPD has arrested a 51-year old San Francisco resident in relation to the alleged attack.

XOX proprietor Jean-Marc Gorce says he was working in his shop at 754 Columbus Avenue at the time of the incident. Gorce has operated the business, which is popular among neighbors and tourists, since 1998. He left his role as a chef after suffering a heart attack at age 30, he told the Chronicle in 2003, in favor of a healthier lifestyle: Starting a small, daytime business with his wife.

According to SFPD’s account to CBS SF, the alleged attacker was reportedly causing a scene inside Gorce’s truffle shop, and Gorce asked him to leave. The man then allegedly put Gorce in a choke hold until his son, Sébastien, reportedly threatened the attacker with a bat.

“He grabbed the baseball bat then we had in the back to come to my rescue,” Gorce claims.

The alleged attacker was arrested on three felony charges: assault with a deadly weapon, felonious threats, and false imprisonment

As SFist notes, the incident follows a highly publicized attack, caught on surveillance video, in which a man chased and assaulted a woman as she desperately tried to get back into her SoMa condo building.

• Famed San Francisco Truffle Shop Owner Attacked; Suspect In Custody [CBS5]