CITY HALL — Police on Tuesday were seeking a suspect in connection with a stabbing that occurred near a heavily-traveled intersection in Downtown Santa Monica.
The victim, a 19-year-old male, was walking with his girlfriend from the Downtown Hooters restaurant toward a bus stop at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Fourth Street at approximately 6:15 p.m. Monday when he was attacked by a man with a knife.
The victim tried to escape the suspect by running between two buses. He fell and was stabbed, said Sgt. Richard Lewis, spokesperson for the Santa Monica Police Department.
The victim told police that he did not know the suspect, and says the man attacked him "for no reason," Lewis said.
An ambulance took the victim to a local trauma center. His wounds were not life-threatening, and he was released from the hospital.
Witnesses told police that the suspect fled into Michaels, an arts and crafts store on Fourth Street.
Police cars lined up outside the store, and police shut down the north and east sides of the street. Police evacuated the store, and at least 12 officers and police dogs moved in to search for the suspect.
Marie Malahi, who lives in Culver City, had been inside Michaels shopping for frames.
She heard the call to leave the building, turned and saw so many police she couldn't see the windows in the front of the store.
Police put an officer at the front of the building and searched the interior, but didn't locate the suspect. They believe that he fled the area before officers arrived at the scene rather than escaping into the store because Michaels has an alarmed back door and the alarm did not sound, Lewis said.
The suspect is a white, Latin or Native American man in his 30s or early 40s. He is approximately 5-foot-8, 190 pounds with brown eyes. On Monday, he was wearing a black hat, white T-shirt and beige cargo shorts.
Anyone with information about the attack can call the Santa Monica Police Department at (310) 458-8495.
ashley@www.smdp.com
