A 72-year-old man remains in the hospital after being stabbed repeatedly outside the entry gate to the upscale Coto De Caza community in Orange County, California.
Sgt. Dennis Breckner of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department told The Epoch Times that the elderly victim was stabbed 11 times, both on his front and back torso, by a 29-year-old suspect from Tustin.
The stabbing occurred at approximately 11:42 a.m. on Oct. 7 at the entrance to the gated community near Coto de Caza Drive and Antonio Parkway. Police arrived to find the victim bleeding but conscious.
“I think that the victim was conscious the entire time. I don’t think he ever lost consciousness,” Breckner said.
But he added that the victim’s condition became “touch and go” before he underwent surgery.
“They weren’t thinking it was too bad, and then he kind of started taking a turn for the worse right before he went into surgery,” Breckner said. “But he ultimately came out and he’s back in stable condition.”
Breckner said the stabbing apparently took place after some sort of traffic incident, according to witnesses.
“We just know that there was a minor traffic collision involving vehicles that were in that parking lot,“ he said. ”And then the stabbing occurred.”
He added that some type of argument likely ensued, but that it was unconfirmed at this point.
“We’re talking to witnesses, and we need to give the victim a chance to give a statement,” he said.
The Sheriff’s Department said they are waiting to make further details public until they are able to interview the victim, who is currently intubated in the intensive care unit (ICU) following his surgery.
Breckner said deputies discovered the alleged perpetrator near the scene—after he fled on foot—and took him into custody.
They identified the suspect as Luis Fabian Centeno. While officers originally brought him in for questioning, he has since been booked and charged with attempted murder.
Centeno, who listed his job as security according to jail records, was being held on $500,000 bail.
“When they arrived in the area of the call … he was still at the scene, and he cooperated and he was able to be taken into custody without incident,” Breckner said.
Deputies also found the weapon used to commit the crime, but are simply describing it as a knife for now.
Other details regarding the case, such as whether the victim lived within the Coto De Caza community or if he knew Centeno, have not yet been revealed.
