Police Search for Suspect in Long Beach Stabbing That Hospitalized Woman; Second Random Attack Reported Hours Later

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach police are searching for a man wanted in connection with a random stabbing that left a woman hospitalized with multiple stab wounds Thursday night, authorities said.

The attack occurred around 10:36 p.m. in the 4500 block of California Avenue in the Bixby Knolls neighborhood. Police say a man approached the woman as she was walking and stabbed her before fleeing the scene. Long Beach Fire Department paramedics transported her to a local hospital, where she was treated for stab wounds to her upper and lower body. She is reported to be in stable condition.

A blurry surveillance image of the suspect has been released, showing a person wearing a light-colored jacket with dark hair. Police describe the attack as random and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

Just over four and a half hours later, around 3 a.m. Friday, a second person was stabbed in an apparent random attack several miles away in the 3200 block of Anaheim Street in Central Long Beach. A man suffered a stab wound to his upper body and was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect in that case also fled the scene.

Authorities have not yet determined whether the two incidents are connected, though both are being investigated as potentially random attacks. Motives in both cases remain under investigation.

Anyone with information about either stabbing is asked to contact the Long Beach Police Department.

This story is developing.