Man Arrested In College Student's 'Unprovoked' Stabbing On East LA Bus

EAST LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A 27-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a brutal stabbing that critically injured a community college student on a bus in the East Los Angeles community of Commerce earlier this week.

Manuel Ortiz was taken into custody at 1 a.m. Thursday on attempted murder charges, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported. The circumstances of his arrest were not immediately released. Following his arrest, Ortiz was initially taken to a medical facility for unspecified reasons.

The victim, a man in his 20s who was on his way to East Los Angeles College, was stabbed at around 10:13 a.m. Monday on a Montebello Bus Lines bus in the 5700 block of Whittier Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The man was stabbed multiple times in the chest. He suffered life-threatening injuries and remained in critical condition Thursday.

"It was a savage attack and one that caused us great concern," L.A. Sheriff Jim McDonnell said in a statement.  "It was seemingly unprovoked, as the suspect walked towards the front of the bus, pulled a knife and stabbed the victim multiple times."

Following the stabbing, the suspect got off the bus and ran away. There was no word on a motive in the attack. It did not appear to be gang-related, LASD said.

Investigators later released security video from the bus.

Anyone with information on the case should call the sheriff's department at 323-890-5500.