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Off-Duty NYPD Officers Detain Man Suspected Of Stabbing Tourist At Hollywood & Highland Center

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — A man suspected of stabbing a Russian tourist multiple times at the Hollywood & Highland Center was arrested after being detained by off-duty NYPD officers.

The attack occurred about 1:10 p.m. at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, the LAPD said.

The tourist was shopping with his family, a witness said, when he got into an argument with an apparently homeless man.

The suspect then stabbed the tourist multiple times in the neck and face, the witness said, as the victim tried protect his family.

The suspect was then subdued by two off-duty New York City police officers, at least one of whom brandished a gun.

The off-duty NYPD cops told the man to lay on the ground and drop his knife, a witness, Mia Shemesh, said. LAPD arrived on the scene minutes later.

The victim was transported to the hospital.

"I felt bad ... he had two little girls with him and they were watching all of it and the wife was stressing out," Shemesh said. "Just imagine seeing husband or dad going through something like this."

The suspect was identified as Donald Offerman, 54, who was booked on attempted murder charges and was being held on $500,000 bail.

The victim's identity was not immediately available.

The off-duty NYPD cops were in Los Angeles for an investigation, but police did not provide further details.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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