Suspect in Skid Row stabbing rampage shot by police

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A knife-wielding man was shot by police in downtown Los Angeles after multiple people were stabbed near Skid Row on Friday, authorities said.

Los Angeles police said the shooting occurred shortly before noon near San Pedro Street south of 6th Street.

Witnesses told Eyewitness News a man armed with a knife, who they said was under the influence of synthetic marijuana or "spice," ran through Skid Row slashing at people.

Officers found a stabbing victim at San Pedro and 6th streets, and two others were also found, one at San Julian and 7th streets and one at Crocker and 5th streets. The conditions of the victims were not released by authorities.

Good Samaritans said they rushed to help the victims before help could arrive.

"I noticed he was stabbed up under his neck so I told someone to bring me a rag," Darryl Dillihunt recalled. "He kept saying he was going to die and I said, 'No, calm down sir. You are not going to die. You need to slow your adrenaline down.' So after I tied up his arm I put the rag up under his neck."

Witnesses said Good Samaritans tried to intervene and stop the suspect before officers arrived at the scene. When officers arrived at the scene, the suspect was attacking a man, according to witnesses.

"They repeatedly asked him to put the knife down, put the knife down, but he proceeded to cut the individual," witness Ronald Collins explained. "When he did that police had to shoot him to save the guy's life. With all the bad reputation that LAPD got, today they got it right and they saved a life."

The condition of the suspect was not released by officials. Authorities said no officers were injured during the incident.

Investigators said a weapon was recovered from the scene.