Knife-wielding suspect attempts carjackings in Santa Rosa Safeway parking lot
SANTA ROSA -- A 40-year-old Santa Rosa transient was in custody after roaming a Santa Rosa Safeway parking lot, threatening patrons with a large kitchen knife and attempting to carjack a vehicle.
Santa Rosa police said Elijah Beck was being held in Sonoma County Jail on carjacking, criminal threat and assault with a deadly weapon charges.
Beck had been booked earlier Tuesday morning into Sonoma County Jail on an unrelated criminal trespassing charge by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department. He was released with a citation a few hours later on his promise to appear in court.
According to police, the carjacking incident began around 7:49 p.m. Tuesday. Their dispatch received multiple calls from the Safeway Store, located at 2751 4th Street, regarding a male suspect who was threatening individuals in the parking lot.
It was reported that the suspect had slashed the tires of a vehicle with a knife, stabbed a victim and tried to carjack another vehicle.
When officers arrived on scene, Beck had been surrounded by several patrons near a vehicle and was taken into custody.
Officers quickly located a male victim, who had sustained a small stab wound to his upper arm area as a result of the altercation. Medical personnel responded into the scene and attended to the victim. The victim was treated at the scene and released with a non-life threatening injury.
Officers then contacted and interviewed several witnesses on scene.
During the investigation, it was discovered that Beck had allegedly attempted to carjack two separate vehicles in the parking lot area prior to police arrival.
He first approached a female victim, who was parked and sitting in the front seat of her vehicle near the south end of the parking lot, and allegedly brandished a large kitchen knife at her window and told her to get out or he would kill her.
The female held her front door shut as Beck attempted to gain entry. Beck then allegedly retreated to the rear of the vehicle and punctured a tire with his knife before walking off.
He then made his way towards the front parking area and entrance of the store where he confronted several customers. This resulted in an altercation where Beck allegedly stabbed the male victim in his upper arm and gained entry into a second vehicle.
As Beck gained entry into the front seat, customers fought back and began ramming him with shopping carts to keep him detained inside the vehicle until police arrived.
No other individuals were hurt. A large kitchen knife was located on the ground near the suspect and booked into evidence.