Man arrested after stabbing two people in Irvine
Irvine police on Tuesday arrested a man wanted in connection with a stabbing spree, in which he allegedly attacked three different people during separate confrontations.
The first incident occurred at around 12:30 p.m., when Irvine Police Department officers were dispatched to a shopping center located near Culver Drive and Walnut Avenue after receiving reports of a person being slashed at in the parking lot. That person suffered minor injuries but was treated at the scene.
Officers then say that the suspect, identified as 43-year-old Ricardo De La Riva, entered a gas station in the shopping center and purchased a lottery ticket immediately after the incident.
Ricardo De La Riva, 43, of Irvine, was booked at Orange County Jail on attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon charges. Thank you to all the witnesses that reported valuable information to IPD during this event. #IRVINE #IRVINEPD pic.twitter.com/0ey87iCd9r
— Irvine Police Department (@IrvinePolice) January 4, 2023
The gas station owner commented that the man seemed a little erratic as he was buying the ticket.
As he was leaving the gas station, De La Riva allegedly got into an argument with one of the employees, throwing a traffic cone at him before running into a nearby neighborhood.
It was there, near Walnut Avenue and Ravenwood Street, that he confronted a third victim, who was on the street with his wife.
"He came up and asked for a shirt and my husband said no," the woman said, noting that afterwards he attempted to give the couple money. "Then he just turned around and stabbed him. He tried to stab him three times, but he only stabbed him once."
He was rushed to a nearby hospital and is said to be in stable condition.
After establishing a perimeter in the area, police were able to locate De La Riva and arrested him. He has been booked on suspicion of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.