BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
A man who allegedly stabbed his sister’s friend in a random attack has received a boost in his quest to avoid jail time from Chris Hsiung, the former Mountain View police chief and San Mateo County undersheriff.
Hsiung wrote a letter saying the violence was out of character for David Ahlport, 42, of Emeryville, who is charged with attempted murder and is married to Hsiung’s sister.
“The recent incident in which David assaulted someone is not consistent with the man I have known for the past decade,” Hsiung wrote.
Ahlport has been in jail since March 16, when he allegedly stabbed his sister’s friend in the neck at his family’s house on Claire Court in Mountain View.
Ahlport told police that he was after “latex people” who can take over the bodies of other people.
Ahlport knew his sister’s friend for about six months, and they all hung out and sang karaoke together, his sister told police.
They were alone in the living room when Ahlport used a pocket knife with a four-inch blade to stab her in the neck, wrist, back and chest, police said.
Ahlport’s dad tried to stop the attack, but Ahlport got away and chased the victim outside with garden shears, police said.
Officers found the victim in the street stunned and bloody, and Ahlport was pinned down by his dad on a couch, police said.
Ahlport allegedly had a bottle of lighter fluid and a hammer in his car and was planning more attacks.
At the police station, Ahlport said he “got the wrong body double” and “could have targeted better.”
“I am saving the world by executing modern Hitler,” Ahlport told police.
Ahlport said he believed President Trump is also a body double, and the real Trump is in witness protection, police said.
Ahlport’s notebook contained “disjointed, incoherent thoughts, delusions of grandeur and fatalistic statements,” including mentions of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk.
“I am prepared for my own death,” Alport wrote. “And if I do end up needing to make the ultimate sacrifice please take care of Elon … Because ironically, I have loved Elon Musk for the past 20 years. He was my role model.”
Ahlport graduated from Los Altos High School and has a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University. He worked as a market data analyst at Adobe until losing his job in August 2024.
His wife, Grace Hsiung, told police that Ahlport can be “toxic” when playing video games but isn’t a violent person. She also wrote a letter to the court supporting her husband.
Grace Hsiung and Ahlport started dating in 2015 and got married in November 2021.
Chris Hsiung said he welcomed Ahlport into the family and entrusted him around his children, who were 12, 9, 9 and 7 at the time and affectionally referred to Ahlport as “Uncle David.”
“His kind and patient demeanor, especially when engaging them with them over shared interests like video games, left no doubt about the positive role he played in their lives,” Hsiung said.
Hsiung worked in Mountain View for 28 years, moving his way up the ranks from captain to deputy chief and then chief for his final two years.
Hsiung joined the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office as the second-in-command in February 2023 and left in June 2024 because of disagreements with Sheriff Christina Corpus.
He now leads The Curve, a nonprofit started by former police chiefs to try to change policing culture.
New San Mateo County Sheriff Ken Binder said he’s bringing Hsiung back as undersheriff. Binder is expected to announce his new leadership team next week.
In his letter, Hsiung said he’s dealt with many individuals who were aggressive or dangerous, including on homicide and assault investigations.
Hsiung said Ahlport never struck him as danger — instead he was consistently caring, dependable and gentle.
“This was an extraordinary and tragic deviation from his true character,” Hsiung said.
Ahlport’s mental health deteriorated throughout 2024, and he started getting into heated arguments on Facebook, his longtime friend Adam Kalachman said in another letter to the court.
A doctor diagnosed Ahlport with schizophrenia in August.
Attorney Marsanne Weese included the letters and diagnosis in an Oct. 1 application for a mental health diversion, which allows criminal defendants to get mental health treatment rather than a criminal sentence. Judge Meghan Piano will consider the application on Dec. 2 in San Jose.
People in all walks of life are human and deal with human issues. No one is exempt from dealing with family issues and sometimes getting help for those with mental health needs.
Sad situation for all involved. It takes a village to create spaces for people in need.