Boy, Woman Stabbed in 'Unprovoked' Attack at Target

A security guard at a Target store in downtown Los Angeles shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed two people, including a 9-year-old boy, in an "unprovoked" attack Tuesday. Police say the "heinous act" began around 6:40pm when the 40-year-old suspect plucked a 9-inch knife from a shelf, then moved toward the boy. He repeatedly said "he was going to stab him and kill him," Police Chief Michael Moore said at a press conference, per CNN. As the boy tried to get away, "the suspect, without any further provocation, suddenly attacked and stabbed this young child in the back." The man then continued down an aisle and "brutally" stabbed a 25-year-old woman in the chest, Moore said, per KABC.

As "others pulled the woman into a pharmacy," per the Los Angeles Times, the attacker moved toward the front of the store, where he was confronted by an armed security guard. The guard, who initially planned to use his baton, opened fire when the man approached him with the knife, police said. The man, who was shot in the stomach, died at a hospital. The two victims were hospitalized in critical condition with deep stab wounds and are expected to undergo surgery. Moore noted a third person was trampled while fleeing the store. Police have yet to identify the attacker, though KABC describes him as homeless. (More stabbing attack stories.)