LOS ANGELES - A man police say was armed with an assault weapon fired multiple shots at a woman at the Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park on Thursday then allegedly stabbed the victim who was with her child, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
What we know:
According to police, authorities responded to reports of a shooting or stabbing near the Cheesecake Factory restaurant in the 6600 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard around 12:25 p.m.
Police said the man, later identified as 29-year-old Shayne Suffern, approached the woman and said "Give me back my baby." He then opened his backpack and grabbed an AR-15 rifle and attempted to fire at the victim, but the rifle malfunctioned.
Police said the woman grabbed her baby stroller and started to run away. That's when the Suffern chased after her. She grabbed her baby from the stroller and Suffern allegedly stabbed her in the right shoulder with a knife.
The woman and her baby then fled into the restaurant for safety.
Police said Suffren returned to his vehicle and fled, but he was arrested a short distance away.
Officers were seen searching his car, a dark-colored Mercedes-Benz. Officers recovered an AR-15 rifle, a knife, and a backpack containing multiple rounds from his car.
Suffern was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, with bail set at $5.325 million.
According to LAPD, they say there is no evidence to suggest the suspect and victim knew each other.
The woman was taken to the hospital in stable condition. Her child was uninjured.
The Source: Information for this story is from the Los Angeles Police Department.