In a disturbance that escalated to violence at a Petco Park neighborhood store, an intoxicated man was arrested for stabbing an employee. According to the San Diego Police Department's Watch Commander's Log, Juan Flores-Puga, 36, had been causing a disruption at the A-Mart on Imperial Avenue when employees moved to eject him from the premises.
It was during this ejection, reported at approximately 1:10 pm, that Flores-Puga drew a knife and lunged at one of the working staff members, wounding him in the hand. The victim, a 41-year-old male not yet identified publicly, suffered a one-inch laceration and was promptly taken to a local hospital. Sources say the injury, while distressing, was non-life-threatening. Detained by transit security before the arrival of the police, Flores-Puga now faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon.
The incident unfolded yesterday afternoon and quickly drew law enforcement to the busy retail area. SDPD officers took Flores-Puga into custody, where he was later booked into Central Jail. The question lingers, as it does in the wake of such events, what drives a man to violence, to the brandishing of steel against another's flesh? but the answers are often as elusive as the peace we seek.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the circumstances leading up to the stabbing. The public is urged to step forward with any information that could aid the case. Anyone with information about the above incident(s) is encouraged to call the listed Command handling the investigation or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477, as stated on the San Diego government website. While the tools of justice comb through the strands of this case, the community's vigilance remains invaluable to the process.
