Bike-riding face slasher arrested in Los Angeles
A man who has been suspected of riding through South Los Angeles on his bicycle, slashing at least nine pedestrians with a sharp object, was arrested Wednesday, CBS Los Angeles reports. One of the victims was as young as 13 years old, police said.
The suspect, identified as Lenrey Briones, 19, has been accused of attacking people in at least four different occasions over the past two weeks while bicycling around South L.A and South Gate. Police said the suspect is believed to be homeless. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney, according to The Associated Press.
"The suspect instilled fear in this community," Capt. Dan Randolph said Wednesday night.
Detectives are looking for any other victims.
The first attack was reported March 20, with the latest two incidents occurring Monday. All four victims sustained severe facial injuries. The suspect was caught on surveillance footage that was released by LAPD.
According to Los Angeles police, at around 8:40 a.m. Monday, a man reported he was standing on a sidewalk near a bus stop when the suspect rode by on a bike and slashed him in the face with an unknown weapon.
About 15 minutes later, police received a second call from a woman who was attacked in a similar fashion. She suffered a severe injury to the left side of her face and ear, police said.
At around 7:30 a.m. March 20, a man was injured when a male bicyclist slashed his face while he stood at an intersection.
At about 11:09 a.m. on March 27, an attack occurred in South Gate in which a victim's face was slashed, also sustaining severe injuries.