A 29-year-old man has been arrested for an unprovoked stabbing in Downtown Santa Monica that has sent three victims to local hospitals.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), two of the victims were hospitalized, one in critical condition while the third was assaulted, but reported no major injuries.
SMPD said the incident began at about 8pm on Sunday May 19 when the suspect, Larry Ameyal Cedeno attacked the three victims on the 1500 block of 4th Street near Parking Structure #7.
“Upon arriving at the scene, officers immediately began CPR on the first victim while
additional officers located the suspect,” said a statement provided by SMPD. “The suspect was detained and arrested a short time later. The suspect remains in custody at the Santa Monica Jail pending arraignment and the official filing of charges.”
No information was available on Cedeno’s city of residence, but police said he was on probation for larceny.
“The safety and security of our community is our top priority. As we actively investigate this incident, we will continue to provide updates as they become available. No additional information is available at this time,” said the statement.
Anyone with information related to this incident or these individuals is encouraged to
contact Detective Burciaga or the Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-8427.
The attack was the second security alert of the evening for SMPD.
At about 4:45pm on Sunday, SMPD closed the 1600 block of 5th Street for an investigation into a suspicious package. Officers spent about three hours investigating a “package” that was reported near the Santa Monica Daily Press offices.
Officers at the scene initially described the call to SMDP reporters as the investigation of a suspicious package near the back of the office building. However, SMPD officials clarified the call was more detailed on Monday morning.
According to SMPD, officials received a call from an individual who believed they had found bomb-making materials found while cleaning a deceased relative’s home. The caller placed the items in their vehicle and began to drive to the Santa Monica Police Station, but were met by officers near 5th and Colorado, where they confirmed the suspicious items and immediately contacted the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad.
As a precaution, nearby buildings were evacuated, and streets were closed while the Bomb Squad rendered the materials safe. There were no injuries or direct threats to public safety. Information related to the incident was provided to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
matt@smdp.com