A restaurant employee was hospitalized Sunday evening after being stabbed multiple times near the Santa Monica Pier, authorities said.
Santa Monica Police officers responded around 5 p.m. to Ocean Front Walk following reports of a stabbing. According to Santa Monica Close Up, city Code Enforcement officers were the first on scene and found the victim bleeding from several wounds. They provided first aid until firefighters arrived.
The victim, who had been eating lunch outside his workplace, was stabbed three times by a man believed to be homeless who approached from behind before fleeing east toward Ocean Avenue, a witness told Santa Monica Close Up.
Paramedics with the Santa Monica Fire Department treated the victim at the scene and transported him to a local hospital. His injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
The suspect had fled before officers arrived, prompting an extensive search. Detectives reviewed video from surrounding businesses, interviewed witnesses and canvassed the pier and nearby beach for additional leads. The case remains under investigation as police appeal to the public for tips and additional surveillance footage to identify and arrest the suspect.
The incident highlights ongoing safety concerns in the popular tourist area, with authorities actively working to locate the perpetrator of what appears to have been a random attack on the restaurant worker.