Los Angeles police arrested a 54-year-old man suspected of fatally stabbing to death two homeless men in Hollywood on August 6. Another victim was seriously wounded and is recovering in the hospital.


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The three knife attacks occurred within hours of each other on Thursday afternoon along a busy stretch of Hollywood and Sunset boulevards and Argyle Avenue. Ironically, the crimes occurred just hours after Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and LAPD Chief Bill Bratton held a press conference touting how safe Hollywood has become.

The alleged attacker, Damian Durado, was picked up by police around 5 p.m. yesterday very close to where the second stabbing took place.

Police said that Durado was not a transient as reported earlier in the media.

The mayhem began around 1:30 p.m. when patrol officers got a call about a victim shot in the 5500 block of West Sunset Boulevard. However, the victim was not shot but had been stabbed several times. The next stabbing took place 30 minutes later in the 6100 block of Hollywood Boulevard. Then, at 4:40 pm, another report of a stabbing was called in. This time the location was Argyle Avenue and Vine Street. Officers discovered a man with stab wounds. He was taken to a hospital and listed in critical condition.

According to the police, the victims ranged in age from 43 to 51. Anyone with information on the fatal attacks should call Hollywood Division at 213-972-2910.

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