LONG BEACH, CA — A 44-year-old man is in police custody Saturday following his arrest by Long Beach Police Department officers during an assault on a police officer in downtown Long Beach.
At 2:42 p.m. Friday, LBPD officers responded to a call in the 200 block of West Broadway, west of Pacific Avenue, where they learned the man was possibly armed with an unknown weapon.
When they arrived, they found a suspect matching the description provided by the calling party and attempted to de-escalate the situation in order to get the suspect to surrender, the police department said. A use of force occurred, during which time the suspect produced a knife and stabbed an LBPD officer multiple times.
Four uniformed Department of Homeland Security federal air marshals who were working on a security assignment nearby witnessed the assault and rushed to the aid of the Long Beach police officers and assisted them in taking the knife-wielding suspect into custody, police said.
The suspect, Arturo Fernandez, a resident of Torrance, was arrested at the scene.
After being medically cleared at the hospital, he was booked at Long Beach City Jail for attempted murder. Bail was set at $1 million, police said.
The officer who was stabbed was taken to the hospital and has since been released.
"The violent actions of this individual serve as a stark reminder of not just the dangers faced by our police officers, but also their continued dedication to protecting our community each day," said LBPD Chief of Police Wally Hebeish. "This officer put himself in harm's way in the defense of others and sustained serious injuries in doing so. I am very grateful that he is going to recover.
"I would also like to commend the additional LBPD officers who were on scene and the federal air marshals who helped take this dangerous suspect into custody without further incident."
Officers recovered a knife at the scene.
The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office next week, police said.
Anyone with information regarding this arrest was asked to contact homicide detectives Juan Carlos Reyes and Lisette Temblador at 562-570-7244. Callers who wish to remain anonymous may call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit www.lacrimestoppers.org.
— City News Service
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