Authorities said officers were dispatched around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday to reports of an assault in progress near East Mission Avenue and Buchanan Street. When they arrived at the scene, they discovered 69-year-old Kerry Sheron suffering from severe, life-threatening injuries. He was immediately transported to a nearby trauma center, where he remains in the intensive care unit in critical condition.
Police reported that a utility worker who witnessed the attack intervened during the incident and assisted in restraining the suspect until officers arrived. A bystander who attempted to help also sustained injuries.
Investigators arrested 32-year-old Thomas Caleb Butler shortly after the attack. He has been charged with attempted murder and is being held without bail at the Vista Detention Facility in San Diego County. Authorities said Butler fled the scene but was quickly located and taken into custody.
Sheron’s wife, Maria Garcia, said her husband’s injuries are catastrophic and that she does not believe he will survive. She also raised concerns that the attack may have been politically motivated, noting the long history of controversy surrounding the couple’s home, which is covered in American flags and pro-Trump displays. The residence has previously drawn both support and criticism and has been vandalized in the past.
Police, however, have not confirmed any motive for the assault and say the investigation is ongoing.
A friend of the suspect described Butler as a Navy veteran who had struggled with mental health challenges and increasing paranoia, though officials have not verified those claims.
The case has drawn attention from political figures, while law enforcement continues to emphasize that no definitive conclusions have been reached.
As of the latest reports, Sheron remains in critical condition in the ICU, and Butler is awaiting further court proceedings as the investigation continues.
