A daylight assault and robbery took place in downtown Palo Alto, landing one man behind bars following a violent confrontation that spiraled from a dispute over personal belongings. On Monday afternoon, Palo Alto Police swiftly arrested Cesar Pineda, aged 39, after he allegedly launched an attack that escalated quickly into a robbery punctuated by the use of a knife.

The incident unfolded when a call came to the police's 24-hour dispatch center about two men fighting on the 300 block of University Avenue near a CVS store, as detailed by the Palo Alto Police Department. Responding officers located a victim with facial injuries who described how a man he didn't know demanded money and his mobile phone. When he refused, the situation grew violent as the suspect snatched the victim's hat and assaulted him, attempting to use the victim’s own knife against him. The officers detained the suspect in the vicinity of El Camino Real and Quarry Road after a short pursuit.

According to the victim’s report, the confrontation began outside the CVS store at 352 University Avenue. It escalated as the suspect entered and then fled the store, leading to the physical struggle where the victim was punched and kicked multiple times in the face. The attack did not end there; the suspect, armed with the victim's knife, attempted to escalate the violence further, although fortunately, the victim managed to evade serious harm. Police reported that Pineda, hailing from San Jose, was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon based on these allegations.

The victim's injuries, though deemed minor, required on-site treatment by Palo Alto Fire Department personnel.