Los Angeles Police Capture Suspect In Stabbings Of Homeless People

Los Angeles police capture suspect in stabbings of homeless people < br />

2012-07-22 07:03:32 GMT+7 (ICT)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (BNO NEWS) -- Police in Los Angeles have arrested a man suspected of stabbing as many as five homeless people in Southern California in recent weeks, police said on Saturday. The so-called "Death Warrant" attacker has been charged with attempted murder.

Courtney Anthony Robinson, 38, who had previously been named a person of interest in the stabbings, was arrested at around 8:40 p.m. local time on Friday in the area of Highland Avenue and Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. The officers had recognized him from "community alert" fliers that were distributed in the neighborhood.

Police believe Robinson was responsible for the stabbings of three homeless people this month. He was dubbed the "Death Warrant" attacker by both local media and police after written 'Death Warrants" were found left at the scene of each attack, but no details about the contents of messages have been released.

"It appears that Robinson targeted the victims for specific reasons but had no relation tot hem," a police spokesperson said on Saturday.

The first attack occurred on July 3 in Los Angeles when a 50-year-old man was stabbed in the back while he was laying on a sidewalk. The next attack occurred early Tuesday when a 59-year-old man was stabbed in the back while laying on a park bench in nearby Santa Monica. The last stabbing occurred early Thursday morning in Hollywood when a female victim was stabbed in the back while laying on the sidewalk. All the victims survived.

A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson said Robinson is also believed to be responsible for two other stabbings in Santa Barbara, although officials did not immediately say when those attacks took place or whether the victims survived. Robinson was booked on charges of attempted murder and is being held on $500,000 bail.

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