Boyle Heights street vendor stabbed multiple times in unprovoked attack, police say

BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Boyle Heights street vendor remains in the hospital after he was stabbed in a vicious attack police say was unprovoked.

Dulce Terrazas says her father, Ignacio Torres, has wounds to his stomach, arm, back and a leg. Los Angeles police said the stabbing happened around 5 p.m. Wednesday near 1st and Gabriel Garcia Marquez streets.

The disturbing assault captured on video shows Torres getting knocked to the ground and the suspect stabbing him repeatedly.

"I can't see the video without crying because my dad was fighting for his life," an emotional Terrazas said.

Torres, a well-known vendor in the community, has been working been working for 19 years at the same intersection near where he was stabbed.

He was talking to another vendor when the suspect, identified as 28-year-old Michael Ramirez, suddenly walked up and attacked him, LAPD said.

"No words exchanged, nothing. He just started attacking my dad out of nowhere," Terrazas said.

LAPD said Ramirez is a transient and he has a criminal history that includes arrests for assault and battery.

Torres' wife was across the street when the stabbing happened. She rushed over to help her husband.

"The only thing she could really think about was just taking him off my dad. Good thing that my mom didn't get stabbed," Terrazas said.

Ramirez was arrested a few blocks from the scene after a witness pointed him out to police, according to LAPD.

Terrazas can't understand why anyone would attack her father. She says he's a very loving person who goes out of his way to help others.

Torres is expected to make a full recovery from his injuries, but may not be able to work for months. His daughter has started a GoFundMe account in his name.