On Wednesday, August 12th, singer/songwriter, filmmaker and animal welfare activist Ryan Tree became the victim of an unprovoked, violent attack at a Pokémon Center machine inside a Food4Less grocery outlet in San Diego, California. Upon paying for a product at the machine, the assailant came up from behind, placed him in a chokehold and slammed him on the ground. The manager of the store witnessed the assault and called police as the attacker ran outside to his car and fled the scene. CCTV video caught the event in its entirety but Kroger Co. has yet to release the footage to the San Diego Police Department. The suspect is still at large as detectives begin the investigation.

Ryan sustained a dislocated shoulder which remained out of the socket for 2 hours until police arrived as well as a lacerated, swollen elbow. The joint in his shoulder was finally popped back into place by an ER doctor at Sharp Memorial Hospital 5 hours later. X-rays show the ligaments in his shoulder are completely torn so he is required to follow-up with physical therapy to gain full mobility of his arm which may lead to surgery down the road. This event flipped Ryan’s world upside-down. Not only is he overwhelmed with medical bills and doctor visits, but he was forced to quit his job as he is currently unable to pursue physical work. Ryan also suffers from severe ulcerative colitis (UC) which cannot be treated properly without healthcare.

Ryan Tree is a resident of San Diego, living and working out of his car with his 3 rescue dogs, Melody (from the country Georgia), Mexi (from Mexico) and Lucy (from Guatemala). He is a graduate of Syracuse University and an award-winning musician. In 2019, Ryan drove across the world from Arizona to Thailand in a Jeep and a 16’ Airstream Sport to raise awareness for animal welfare. He helped stray animals in 27 countries and rallied donations for reputable organizations across the globe. He also personally donated $50k to the cause and has adopted 10 street dogs of his own over the years. Now back in the U.S., Ryan merely survives in his car taking any available job to pay for food, dog food, water and gas.

Ryan and his dogs are grateful for any blessings to help them get through this difficult time. He’d like to thank ABC Channel 10 News for their support and advocacy, as well as all familles pushing for a healthier, safer environment for Pokémon collectors and enthusiasts.