LLONG BEACH, Calif. — A Long Beach police officer was stabbed during a violent confrontation Friday afternoon in downtown, prompting a large police response just blocks from the Long Beach Grand Prix.
The incident occurred around 2:42 p.m. on April 17 in the 200 block of West Broadway, near First Street and Pacific Avenue, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
Officers were responding to an unknown trouble call involving a possibly armed suspect. When they arrived, they located a man matching the description and attempted to de-escalate the situation. During the encounter, a use of force occurred, and the suspect produced a knife and stabbed an officer multiple times.
Witnesses reported the confrontation stemmed from a dispute involving several individuals prior to police arrival.
Four Department of Homeland Security federal air marshals working nearby witnessed the attack and rushed to assist officers, helping take the suspect into custody without further incident.
The injured officer was taken to a hospital, treated, and later released.
“This officer put himself in harm’s way in the defense of others and sustained serious injuries in doing so,” Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said. “I am very grateful that he is going to recover.”
The suspect, identified as Arturo Fernandez, a 44-year-old Torrance resident, was arrested at the scene. After being medically cleared at a hospital, he was booked into Long Beach City Jail on suspicion of attempted murder. Bail was set at $1 million.
Police recovered the knife at the scene.
The suspect, identified as Arturo Fernandez, 44, of Torrance, was also taken to a hospital for treatment before being booked into jail on suspicion of attempted murder.
The stabbing occurred as the Long Beach Grand Prix weekend was getting underway, one of the city’s largest annual events, drawing large crowds to the downtown area.