A woman who was walking near a bus stop became the latest victim in a series of what appear to be random stabbing in Long Beach.
The woman was near Atlantic Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway when police say a man came up out of nowhere, beat her and stabbed her in the upper body before walking up the street and beating up another woman.
The attack happened right across from a high school.
“I think it’s terrible. I’m terrified now,” Patsy Palacios said.
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Palacios said the stabbing and attack is one of the reasons she rarely comes out of her home here north of downtown Long Beach, especially after dark. Police and the city say it’s concerning to them. They’ve increase specialized units.
Moneche Nash, another resident, said she’s had a man spit on her face. The unprovoked attacks like spitting or yelling are sometimes minor, but they’re still unnerving, Nash said.
“It’s scary, it’s unsafe. I feel like it’s getting worse and worse,” he said.
Sary, who works near the intersection, said there are constant conflicts with unhoused groups and people with mental challenges. She called mental health issues the root of the problem.
Police have increase bike patrols and quality of life detail around neighborhoods experiencing these attacks.
They patrolled Belmont Shore after a man stabbed parents and bystanders with a screwdriver at a park playground, and along Ocean Boulevard where a man was stabbed in the upper body by a violent stranger. That stranger remains on the loose.
In a statement to NBC4, the Long Beach Police Department called safety and the community’s wellbeing its top priority.
“We are using an evidence-based approach to increase patrols and visibility in affected neighborhoods. We are also meeting with community groups, business owners, and residents to address the importance of reporting, responding, and addressing suspicious activity,” the department said.
It added that it’s working with city departments to identify problem areas and provide “appropriate responses” to mitigate crime and violence.
The city is also hosting a violence prevention program later this month to discuss how everyone can come together and make Long Beach safer.
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
