"Pure evil': 4 killed, 2 injured in California stabbings; suspect arrested, police say

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

A California man is accused of fatally stabbing four people and injuring two others Wednesday during a robbery rampage at several locations in Orange County, police said.

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Garden Grove police officials said the victims who were fatally stabbed and the suspect were Hispanic men. Police Lt. Carl Whitney said at a news conference the stabbings were "random acts of violence" and appeared to be motivated by anger and hate, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"I've been a police officer for 30 years, and this is the first time I've ever seen a suspect kill four people and stab others," Whitney said. "It's pure evil."

The 33-year-old man, whose identity was not released, was arrested outside a 7-Eleven store in Santa Ana, KTLA reported. That ended a spree of robberies and stabbings that began when the man attempted to rob a bakery in Garden Grove, KABC reported.

The suspect then went to an apartment complex, where police said he fatally stabbed one man and mortally wounded another, the television station reported. The victim was taken to an area hospital, where he later died, KABC reported.

Police said the suspect then robbed a check-cashing business, but no one was hurt, the Times reported. He proceeded to an insurance agency, where he allegedly attacked a 54-year-old woman with a "machete-style knife," Whitney said at the news conference.

She was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive, the Times reported.

The suspect then allegedly stabbed a man pumping gas at a Chevron station, KTLA reported. Whitney said the victim suffered cuts to his face and "his nose was almost severed off," the television station reported. He was hospitalized and is expected to survive, Whitney said.

Police said the suspect then killed one person during a robbery at a Subway restaurant in Santa Ana and a male security guard at the 7-Eleven, CNN reported. The suspect was arrested after exiting the 7-Eleven carrying a knife and a handgun, according to KABC.

Whitney said no motive has been determined.

"We don't know. It's just pure hate that this guy did this," Whitney said at the news conference.

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