A parolee suspected of randomly stabbing a 70-year-old woman in downtown Los Angeles pleaded not guilty Friday to attempted murder.
Kenneth Gibson, 39, allegedly approached the woman from behind and stabbed her in the neck without provocation as she walked along Hope Street near Olympic Boulevard shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
She suffered injuries including 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, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
“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 announcing the criminal filing. “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.”
Gibson — who was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of just over $2 million bail — faces a possible life prison term if convicted as charged, according to the District Attorney’s Office.