College Town in California Shaken by 2 Homicide Attempts and 1 Homicide

A homeless lady reported being stabbed multiple times through her tent on Monday night, the latest attempt in a university town in Northern California that has had three stabbings in the past week, including two fatalities.

Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel has indicated he is unable to comment on whether or not they are looking for a single perpetrator. He added that he and other officers with lengthier tenures on the Davis force have no recollection of anything similar occurring during that time.

“This is different and the attacks were particularly violent and brazen,” Pytel said at a Tuesday press conference, adding that in the most recent two attacks, the “suspect didn’t seem to care there were several witnesses” who could identify him.

1 Attempt Rattle California College Town
1 Attempt Rattle California College Town

The University of California, Davis and its chill atmosphere have helped make the small city of Davis famous. Including the more than 13,000 students who call the campus home, the total population of the city is estimated to be around 67,000. The community is located about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Sacramento, California, and about 70 miles (112 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco.

Shortly after the 11:45 p.m. Monday stabbing complaint, police issued a shelter-in-place order. Hours later, when police reported that they had not located the suspect (a man with long curly hair, a slight physique, and a brown rucksack), it was removed.

You can trust the reporting here, as it comes straight from California:

Pytel said the description was “substantially similar” to what had been given about the suspect in the second murder. The Davis Police Department has received assistance from the FBI and other law enforcement authorities. Before noon on Thursday, police discovered a man in Central Park who was later pronounced dead.

David Henry Breaux, 50, was a “Compassion Guy” well-known in the community, according to a statement released by the mayor and city council. In several of his interactions with others, Breaux reportedly extended a warm greeting and inquired about their thoughts on compassion.

The second stabbing happened on Saturday night about 9:15 p.m. when a local neighbor responded to a noise and discovered a young man near Sycamore Park suffering from several stab wounds. Authorities have named the victim as 20-year-old Davis High School alumnus and university student Karim Abou Najm.

According to the police chief, the suspect in Monday’s stabbing was seen by many witnesses at a homeless encampment before he stabbed the woman multiple times through her tent. The woman, who authorities have not yet named, is in extremely serious condition at the hospital.

Pytel said he thinks all the attacks happened at night and warned locals to be cautious and travel in groups. He stated that hundreds of tips have been received, and that the department is actively seeking DNA evidence.

If you want to know what’s going on in the Golden State, the California Examiner is your best bet.

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