A mother was stabbed after a man allegedly tried to snatch her 2-year-old child outside a California mall.
The woman — whose name has not been released — was walking with her toddler near Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park around 12:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, Aug. 21, when the incident reportedly took place, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), per KTLA 5, CBS News and NBC Los Angeles.
The suspect, identified as Shayne Suffern, 29, allegedly approached the mother and said, “Give me back my baby,” KTLA 5 reported.
Suffern then reportedly pulled an AR-15 rifle from a backpack and tried to fire at the woman, but the weapon jammed. The mother ran with her child, according to KTLA 5 and CBS News.
He allegedly chased her and stabbed her in the shoulder before she managed to seek help inside a nearby Cheesecake Factory. Suffern fled the scene in a vehicle, authorities said.
LAPD officers located and arrested Suffern shortly afterward, with KTLA 5 and CBS News reporting that police found an assault rifle, ammunition, and a knife in his car.
Suffern has been charged with attempted murder. His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 25, according to KTLA 5, and his bail has been set at $5,250,000, according to Los Angeles County public booking records.
The victim was taken to a local hospital and is reportedly in fair condition. Police also noted that she had no known connection to the suspect, per CBS News.
In an interview with NBC Los Angeles, Suffern’s father said his son is an army veteran with a history of mental illness.
“Me and my wife, we sort of felt that it was a matter of time before we got this call,” he said. “Hopefully, it wasn’t the call where he had been unalive. We’ve been seeking help since day 1 after he got discharged.”
He also addressed the woman who was attacked: “I’m just praying for your speedy recovery. I am so sorry and ashamed of what has happened.”
“I’m just beside myself,” he added.
