Man fatally stabbed while riding Metro train in downtown L.A. identified; suspect’s photo released

Cindy Von Quednow
·2 min read
16

A man who was fatally stabbed while riding on a Metro platform in downtown Los Angeles Thursday evening has been identified as the search for his killer continues.

The incident occurred around 5:20 p.m. at the Pershing Square train station, according to the Los Angeles.

Responding transit officers found the victim suffering from a stab wound. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The victim was identified Friday as 23-year-old Jesse Rodriguez.

Man fatally stabbed on Metro platform in downtown Los Angeles

A preliminary investigation determined that the victim was on the train when he was approached by a man armed with a knife, police said.

“Without warning or provocation, the suspect stabbed the victim in the upper torso and fled the train on foot,” LAPD said in a news release.

The assailant is described as a Black man with a thin build, a mustache and a goatee. He is around 6 feet 2 inches tall and was wearing a black wave cap, a black long-sleeve shirt, dark-colored pants and black shoes and was carrying a black Puma backpack.

Police provided an image of the suspect on Friday.

LAPD released an image of a man wanted in connection with the fatal stabbing of a man riding a Metro train in downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 7, 2023.
LAPD released an image of a man wanted in connection with the fatal stabbing of a man riding a Metro train in downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 7, 2023.

Safety on Metro buses and train continues to be a concern for residents and elected officials alike.

In a statement Thursday, Metro said:

“It is distressing that a senseless act of violence occurred within our Metro system. Safety is, and always has been Metro’s utmost priority and we are deeply committed to providing a secure environment for our customers. Metro is working with the Los Angeles Police Department to investigate this incident.

Our sympathies go out to the victim’s family and friends. We are asking for your help in providing any information regarding the incident. If you see something, say something. Please call 888.950.SAFE (7233) or 911. You can also anonymously report information using our Transit Watch smartphone app now available for both iPhone and Android. Working together, we can all help ensure a safer and more secure Metro system.”

Anyone with additional information about the assailant or the incident is asked to call LAPD’s central bureau homicide Detectives Sharman or Gonzales at 213 996-4142.

Anyone wishing to stay anonymous can call L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or visit www.lacrimestoppers.org.

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