Downey, CA – A 52-year-old man was arrested after stealing an ambulance while paramedics were attending to a fatal stabbing outside a public library near a high school in Downey, authorities said. The incident occurred Saturday afternoon, causing a police chase that ended nearly 40 minutes later in Alhambra.
Fatal Stabbing Outside Downey Library
Downey Police responded to the public library, located about a half-hour southeast of Los Angeles, after a stabbing was reported just outside the building. According to witnesses, an argument escalated between two men before one pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed the other.
“The gentleman fell down, and once the gentleman fell down, he went for one more strike to the neck, and that’s where the blood…that happened,” said Abraham Mancilla, a witness, speaking to KABC.
Residents nearby told that multiple people were charging their electric vehicles at stations outside the library when the stabbing occurred. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, and police said the stabbing suspect, a 23-year-old homeless man, fled on foot toward a nearby high school before being taken into custody on the locked-down campus.
Ambulance Theft During Emergency Response
While paramedics were tending to the stabbing victim, a separate suspect reportedly stole an ambulance that was parked outside the library.
“It ended up just kind of swerving, and it had about 12 cop cars behind it,” Mancilla said.
The stolen ambulance led police on a chase that concluded approximately 40 minutes north in Alhambra, where the suspect crashed the vehicle into a parked truck. Video shared by local outlets showed the ambulance on its side with significant front-end damage. Authorities confirmed that the suspect, unrelated to the stabbing, sustained no injuries during the crash.
Police Apprehend Ambulance Suspect
The suspect, identified as a 52-year-old California man, was arrested at the scene. Local resident Alan Kwong described the suspect’s behavior at the time of arrest:
“He’s still screaming in the car, in the police SUV, right now, even right now.”
Authorities confirmed the man faces charges related to theft of the ambulance, reckless driving, and resisting arrest.
Community Reaction and Safety
Downey Police have not reported any further injuries from the ambulance incident. Residents are reminded to remain vigilant around public areas and report any suspicious activity.
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