A downtown Long Beach block turned into a crime scene Monday night after a teenage girl was stabbed and a suspect was hauled off in handcuffs just a short time later, police said.
According to the Long Beach Police Department, officers responded the night of April 27 to the 100 block of Pacific Avenue, between East Broadway and East First Street, where they found a juvenile female suffering from stab wounds. She was taken by first responders to a local hospital for treatment. Police say the suspect initially bolted from the area but was tracked down nearby and taken into custody as detectives began sorting out what led to the violence.
Officers were dispatched around 9:25 p.m. Monday after reports of an altercation that ended with the girl being stabbed, Lt. Benjamin Vargas told City News Service, as reported by Patch. Video from the scene later showed a person in handcuffs and medics loading the wounded teen into an ambulance. Police said the suspect ran before officers arrived, but was quickly located and arrested in the surrounding area.
Earlier that evening, officers were called to a separate stabbing in the 1000 block of Market Street that left an adult man with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Long Beach Local News. That outlet reported both the Market Street victim and the girl from Pacific Avenue were expected to survive and described the downtown case as an active investigation, with the motive and circumstances still murky.
What Police Say
As reported by MyNewsLA, Long Beach Fire Department personnel transported the juvenile victim to a local hospital, and police have not released the suspect's gender. Lt. Vargas said the preliminary investigation indicates the incident started as some type of confrontation that escalated into violence, and detectives have been canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses and surveillance footage that might clarify what happened.
Downtown Safety Concerns
The Pacific Avenue corridor in downtown Long Beach has been on edge after a string of recent high-profile incidents. Earlier this month, a predawn attack near the A Line's Pacific station briefly froze part of the morning commute when a man was stabbed on April 1, snarling train service, as detailed in a predawn stabbing near the A Line's Pacific station.
Residents and business owners have been pushing for more visible patrols and expanded community outreach as the city wrestles with a run of violent reports, according to Long Beach Local News. Authorities are urging anyone who may have seen Monday night's stabbing or who has relevant video to contact the Long Beach Police Department while detectives continue piecing together the timeline.
Police have not publicly released potential charges or the suspect's identity as of Tuesday morning, and detectives say the investigation remains active. This story will be updated as officials release additional details or charging information.
