Crime & Safety

Man Stabbed, Suspect Arrested, Hawthorne and Artesia Closed

The two were reportedly fighting over the theft of a cell phone.

Originally posted at 12:33 p.m. May 8, 2014. Edited to add new details.

From a Redondo Beach Police Department press release:

On May 8, 2014 at about 11:40 a.m. Redondo Beach Police Department and Torrance Police Department officers responded to the area of Hawthorne Boulevard. and 177th reports of a subject being repeatedly stabbed in the center median. 

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Officers arrived in less than a minute and found a male adult victim in the center median of Hawthorne Boulevard who had been stabbed in the torso multiple times. The suspect was being restrained by a witness. 

Officers arrested the suspect without incident. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he is being treated for his life threatening injuries. 

Find out what's happening in Redondo Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The suspect has been identified as Kenneth James Tofaeono, an 18-year-old resident of Torrance. 

Tofaeono was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. 

The preliminary investigation into this incident has revealed that this act of violence was not a random event. The suspect and the victim knew each other and appear to have been involved in a dispute over the theft of a cell phone. 

Today’s event occurred when the victim saw the suspect in the Islands Restaurant parking lot at 1609 Hawthorne Blvd. The victim confronted the suspect about the theft and an altercation ensued. The fight between the two led to the center median of Hawthorne Boulevard, where the victim was stabbed. 

Anyone having information about this event is urged to contact the Redondo Beach Police Department in any of the following ways:  

  • Direct – Detective Lori Shimkus – (310) 379-2477 x1-2046 
  • Tip line – (310) 937-6685 
  • Text – (310) 339-2362 
  • Email – crimetips@redondo.org


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