A 39-year-old parolee suspected of stabbing a woman in downtown Los Angeles was charged Friday with attempted murder.
Kenneth Gibson is expected to be arraigned sometime Friday.
The attack occurred around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday near Hope Street and Olympic Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Prosecutors said Gibson approached the 70-year-old victim from behind and stabbed her in the neck without provocation. She suffered a broken neck and a punctured artery, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Gibson was spotted by police about three hours later near Fourth Street and Grand Avenue. He tried to flee on foot but was captured near the Los Angeles Public Library, prosecutors said.
Gibson faces a possible life prison term if convicted as charged.
“This was a random and vicious attack on an innocent woman who was doing nothing wrong,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “This kind of violence doesn’t just hurt the victim; it shakes our entire community. Everyone should feel safe walking the streets of Los Angeles. We will ensure that the individual responsible is held accountable and punished for this heinous crime. Our office remains steadfast in protecting our community and confronting senseless violence wherever it occurs.”