Homeless man stabbed multiple times in apparent unprovoked attack in downtown LA

Editor's note: This story contains video that may be too graphic for some viewers. Please proceed with caution.

Video shows man attacking homeless person near downtown LA

A man was stabbed multiple times in what bystanders say was a brutal attack in downtown Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES – Officials said a homeless man in his 50s or 60s is in serious condition after being stabbed multiple times early Friday morning in downtown Los Angeles. 

Investigators are asking for the public's help with identifying the suspect. 

What we know:

At around 1:30 a.m. on September 26, Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to reports of a stabbing near 2nd and San Pedro streets. Officers found a male victim lying in the middle of San Pedro Street between Azusa and 2nd, suffering from multiple stab wounds.

LAPD officers immediately rendered aid before Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported the victim to a nearby hospital where he was said to be undergoing emergency surgery. In an update, officials said he survived his injuries sustained in the attack. 

Homeless man stabbed in apparent unprovoked attack

An unhoused man is recovering at an area hospital after he was stabbed multiple times in an apparent unprovoked attack in downtown Los Angeles, officials said.

Police briefly detained two men at the scene but later released them. Investigators believe the suspect, described only as a male, ran from the area and has not been located. Detectives from LAPD’s Central Division are now leading the investigation.

What we don't know:

The motive for the attack is unknown. Authorities have not confirmed whether surveillance footage has identified a possible lead.

What Witnesses Are Saying:

Witnesses spoke to FOX 11 about the brutal attack. 

"He ran up behind him, and just started stabbing him," said one of two security guards who witnessed the attack. They say there seemed to be no reason, or altercation, before the victim was ambushed from behind. 

"It was shocking. I thought he was getting beat up on the floor until the suspect raised his hand and I saw the knife," said Brando Nocomedez, who was working security overnight for a scheduled production shoot in the area.

"He falls on his knees and the other guy starts running," added another security guard, Eddie Gonzalez.

Witnesses and police said the victim was homeless and described the knife-wielding suspect as a Hispanic man with an average build and a beard wearing a beanie, grey t-shirt, black shorts, and long white socks. 

The area where this happened, although filled with trendy restaurants and new apartment buildings, is just a couple of blocks from Skid Row.

Investigators are looking through surveillance video, as they continue to search for the suspect. 

People who work and live in the area say that while Little Tokyo has managed to avoid the kind of crime that plagues surrounding areas, "we still have to be cautious." Businesses are still recuperating from riots and a curfew earlier this year, and are hoping people will not be scared to visit the area. 

"This is the last thing we need," said one business owner, who did not want to be identified, adding "We barely made it through COVID and are trying to tell people not to be afraid of ICE raids or protests." 

LAPD's Central Division is handling the investigation. Anyone with information on the stabbing is urged to contact the LAPD Central Division at 213-741-3770.