A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy who was stabbed in a leg in the El Paseo shopping district in Palm Desert was home recovering Wednesday, authorities said.
The deputy, whose gender and name were withheld, was stabbed Tuesday afternoon and was taken to a hospital for treatment of the non-life-threatening injury. The deputy has since been released and is “at home resting in great spirits,” according to Sgt. Deanna Pecoraro.
Deputies were sent to the area of El Paseo and Lupine Lane about 1:15 p.m. Tuesday looking for a man who was assaulting shoppers, according to the sheriff’s department.
Sgt. Christopher Ternes said deputies attempted to approach Christian Matthew Choi of La Quinta, who allegedly began to fight with the deputies and grabbed a knife.
“The suspect armed himself with a knife and stabbed one of the deputies in the leg,” Ternes said.
Deputies unsuccessfully attempted to subdue the 50-year-old suspect using stun guns, according to the sergeant. Choi allegedly tried to stab the deputy again before they managed to get him into custody, he said.
Choi was taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries, then was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer and other offenses. He remains in custody in lieu of $1 million bail and is expected to be arraigned early next week.
A knife was recovered at the scene and booked into evidence, Ternes said.