Davis

Davis Police Investigate Third Stabbing in Past Week

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Police in the city of Davis on Tuesday were investigating a third stabbing in less than a week and trying to determine if the three incidents are connected. In each of the stabbings, a suspect remains at-large.

The latest stabbing was reported at about 11:45 p.m. Monday at a known transient camp in the area of Second and L streets, where a woman was stabbed through a tent and was critially injured, police said.

When officers arrived, they found the woman, who reported that the suspect stabbed her more than once, police said. She was taken to UC Davis Medical Center, where she remained in critical but stable condition.

Police in the city of Davis have advised residents to shelter in place Tuesday after a third stabbing in less than a week and a suspect still on the loose.

The suspect was described as a light complected male with curly hair; about 5 feet, 6 inches to 5 feet, 9 inches tall; and a thin build. He was wearing a black or blue sweatshirt, black adidas pants with white stripes and black shoes, and he was carrying a brown backpack, police said.

The suspect was last seen running westbound on Third Street from L Street.

Police said the suspect description matches that of a suspect in two previous fatal stabbings. One involved a 20-year-old UC Davis student found dead of several stab wounds at Sycamore Park on April 29 and the other a 50-year-old unhoused man found dead of several stab wounds on a bench at Central Park on April 27.

"The attacks with knives were particularly brutal and violent," Davis police Chief Darren Pytel said. "These were not stabbings where a person would normally be a victim of a robbery where there's just a couple of wounds. There were many and very significant knife wounds."

Investigators were still looking into a possible connection.

"Fear is a natural and logical reaction to the incomprehensible, and I know there are a lot of folks in our community who are feeling scared right now," Davis Mayor Will Arnold said.

Police are looking into the possibility of a serial killer stabbing people near UC Davis. NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai spoke to Jodi Hernandez about the latest.

Pytel said the public should always be aware of their surroundings and advised people to travel within groups at nighttime.

Davis police and officers from other agencies early Tuesday morning were searching surrounding neighborhoods and downtown Davis using drones and canine units as well as yard-to-yard searches in residential neighborhoods. As of 5:50 a.m., they did not find the suspect, and the shelter advisory was lifted.

Police asked the public to report any suspicious activity by calling the Davis Police Department at 530-747-5400.

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