Dad stabbed while shielding 3-year-old daughter from stranger’s attack, CA police say
A father was stabbed while shielding his 3-year-old daughter from a stranger’s attack, California police say.
The dad and toddler were walking through the Westminster Civic Center the evening of Sunday, Nov. 17, when a woman “threw a bottle at them,” Westminster police said in a Nov. 19 Facebook post.
Later, the woman, armed with a knife, walked toward the pair and tried to stab the toddler, police said.
However, the father shielded his daughter from the woman, police said.
As he blocked the child, the woman stabbed his hand and leg, according to police.
The woman continued to try to stab the man and his daughter, but he fended off her attacks, police said.
Eventually, the woman walked away, but she remained in the courtyard, police said.
After getting a call about the stabbing shortly before 5 p.m., officers arrived to find the father “bleeding from multiple stab wounds,” police said.
Officers gave medical aid to the man before Orange County Fire Authority took over caring for him, police said. The child was not hurt.
Officers found the woman, who police said still had the knife used in the attack.
She was “quickly arrested without incident,” police said.
“There does not appear to be a motive in the attack and it appears to be a random act of violence,” police said.
The woman, identified as Victoria Vu, 43, of San Diego, was booked into jail on multiple charges, including attempted murder, felony child endangerment and possession of a switchblade, according to police.
McClatchy News reached out to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and is awaiting a response on formal charges.
The father told police that at some point during the attack a Good Samaritan may have helped prevent additional injuries, according to police.
Anyone with information about the attack or that could help identify the Good Samaritan is asked to contact police at 714-548-3724.
Westminster is about a 30-mile drive southeast from Los Angeles.
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 11:53 AM with the headline "Dad stabbed while shielding 3-year-old daughter from stranger’s attack, CA police say."
