Long Beach police officer survives stabbing; man arrested
A man was arrested after he allegedly stabbed an officer with the Long Beach Police Department on Friday afternoon, authorities said.
, officers responded to the 200 block of West Broadway at about 2:42 p.m. on reports of an unknown trouble call, learning on their way there that the apparent suspect was possibly armed with an unknown weapon.
Upon arrival, officers found the apparent suspect and attempted to de-escalate the situation, according to LBPD. At one point, the officers used force on the man, and the man pulled out a knife, stabbing an officer multiple times.
Nearby, four Department of Homeland Security federal air marshals were working a security assignment and witnessed the incident. They assisted the officers and took the man into custody.
The injured police officer was transported to a local hospital. The officer, who is yet to be identified publicly, was later released and is expected to recover.
"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 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."
Further investigations revealed that the suspect was possibly involved in a fight, along with several others, prior to officers' involvement. A knife was recovered at the scene.
The suspect was later identified as Torrance resident Arturo Fernandez. The 44-year-old was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
His bail was set at $1 million.