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'I Think It's A Serious Homeless Problem': Man Suffers Multiple Stab Wounds To Neck In Random Assault By Homeless Man In Chinatown

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - A man was randomly attacked in the Chinatown area Wednesday afternoon, when he was approached by a homeless man who stabbed him in the neck multiple times.

chinatown homeless attack

William Yu was walking near Broadway and Alpine Street when he was approached by the transient who was armed with a knife. He was stabbed 10 times in the neck and shoulder area.

"He's definitely traumatized and exhausted from the ordeal," said David Yu, William's brother who spoke with CBS reporters about the incident.

Onlookers did not intervene, though they did call authorities to report the attack.

"My brother says he tried to move out of the way," David continued. "The guy grabbed him and started punching him."

He detailed the incident, noting that William realized at one point that he was not actually getting punched, but that the man was stabbing him.

Yu was able to wrestle the other man to the ground, at which point law enforcement arrived to arrest the assailant.

He was transported to a nearby hospital where he received medical attention, including what William said was "a lot of stitches."

"It was hard to watch to see my brother in that type of condition," David said.

Authorities identified the man as 50-year-old Timothy Mears. He is being held for felony mayhem.

This attack is another in a troubling trend gathering public attention across Los Angeles County over recent months, as random violent attacks via homeless people have claimed the lives of LAC + USC nurse Sandra Shells and Brianna Kupfer, a local student who was working at the time of her murder. Another Long Beach woman was also attacked while she was assisting the homeless community in her neighborhood, offering them supplies.

David echoed that sentiment, noting that, "I think it's a serious homeless problem that's gotten bigger and bigger and not just homeless, but violent homeless people."

As of 10:00 p.m. Thursday, a GoFundMe for William has already raised more than the $10,000 goal, and can be found by searching the terms "Justice for William."

Yiu was released from the hospital Thursday, and is said to be recovering at home.

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