Good Samaritan stabbed by shoplifting suspect's boyfriend in Valley Village

VALLEY VILLAGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Good Samaritan, who tried help a Valley Village Gelson's Market security officer struggling with a shoplifting suspect, was stabbed by the suspect's boyfriend, police said.

A loss-prevention officer at the grocery store stopped the woman right outside the front door around 10 a.m. Monday for allegedly shoplifting, Los Angeles police said.

When the woman started screaming, her boyfriend emerged from the parking lot and tried to pull her away from the Gelson's employee.

A Good Samaritan, who happened to be in the parking lot at the time, saw what was happening and went to help the loss-prevention officer.

That's when the suspect's boyfriend pulled out a knife.

"The boyfriend ran to help, wanted to attack the loss-prevention officer when an innocent bystander intervened to try to help the loss-prevention officer, and the suspect stabbed the bystander a couple of times," said LAPD Sgt. Leonid Tsap.

The Good Samaritan suffered non-life threatening slash-type wounds in the upper torso, neck and ear, and the knife-wielding boyfriend suffered cuts on his hands. Both were transported to an area hospital.

The woman accused of shoplifting and her boyfriend were taken into custody.