Homeless Man Beaten With Bat, Stabbed In Ventura
VENTURA (CBSLA.com) — A homeless man in Ventura was recovering Monday after being stabbed by several teenage suspects, police said.
The attack happened just before 8 p.m. Sunday in the Ventura Harbor parking structure in the 400 block of Harbor Boulevard.
John Stephen Wood, 46, was on the third level of the structure when one of the five suspects approached him and asked for a lighter.
"After the victim let the suspects use his lighter and without provocation another suspect hit Wood in the head with a bat," Sgt. Kenny Welch said.
Wood tried to flee and was chased down by the suspects who stabbed him six times in his back and buttocks area, he added.
The suspects, described as Hispanic male teens between the ages of 15 and 17 years old, ran from the scene.
When officers arrived, they found Wood lying on the promenade. He was taken to the Ventura County Medical Center where he underwent surgery.
Wood is expected to survive, authorities said.
Ventura police believe the attack could be related to a Jan. 17 incident that occurred at nearby Pierpont Beach when three suspects set a homeless man on fire while he was in a sleeping bag.
Anyone with information related to either incident was asked to call the Ventura Police Department at (805)339-4416.