Witness Recounts Deadly Attack On Red Line In Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD (CBS) — Detectives continue to hunt for a man suspected in the stabbing death of a 59-year-old commuter on the Red Line subway in Hollywood.

The stabbing was reported about 7:30 p.m. Friday at LA Metro's Hollywood/Vine station. According to officials, the victim, now identified as Jesse Garay of North Hollywood, argued with another man then started swinging a plastic chain.

"There was no like yelling, fighting beforehand. It was all of a sudden. The train just started moving and it was like melee. There was like a loud, like crash, like a snap of a chain," LA Times staffer Todd Martens told Kara Finnstrom, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9.

Detectives say moments later, Garay was stabbed and killed. They say the suspect first hit him in the head with a skateboard, then stabbed him.

"He was sort of begging all of us, like 'you all saw that guy come after me, right? 'It was self-defense, right?'" Martens recounts.

According to Martens, two passengers, apparent strangers, encouraged the suspect to flee.

Family members at the apartment where Garay lived declined to comment Saturday night.

Detectives say the attack may have been recorded by train cameras but are not releasing any video tape right now.

The suspect is described as an Asian male in his 20s with acne scars on his face and was last seen wearing a fresh blue shirt.