Police Increase Patrols in Davis Following Series of Fatal Stabbings
Law enforcement agencies in Davis, California, have heightened their patrols following a series of violent stabbings in the past week. The attacks have killed two people while another victim remains in critical condition. Investigators believe that the crimes could be connected to one suspect who is still at large while no arrests have been made to date. Each victim had been brutally stabbed multiple times.
Police have called on the FBI’s profilers for assistance in determining whether the incidents signal the actions of a serial killer randomly targeting people in the college town. UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco have also deployed officers to help patrol the UC Davis campus while campus police has tripled their patrols. The FBI is assisting with investigations as well.
The latest attack happened at 11:45 p.m. on Monday, when a 64-year-old female victim was critically injured after being stabbed through a tent. The suspect was described as light-complexioned, with curly hair, around 5ft 6in to 5ft 9in tall, and with a thin build. He was wearing a black or blue sweatshirt, black adidas pants with white stripes, and black shoes while carrying a brown backpack, according to authorities.
The first two stabbings took place on April 27 and 29 when a 50-year-old man and a 20-year-old UC Davis student were fatally wounded, respectively. Both attacks occurred in city parks after dark.
Police Chief Darren Pytel advised people to be cautious of their surroundings, avoid poorly lit areas, and walk in areas where others are present to reduce the risk of becoming potential victims. Mayor Will Arnold of Davis also urged that as many unhoused people as possible must be moved to shelters while describing the attacks as unprecedented in the community.
As investigations continue, authorities are trying to determine if the same person is responsible for all three incidents. NBC Bay Area reporters, Jodi Hernandez, and Thom Jensen contributed to this report.
