Stabbing Suspect Arrested

A normally peaceful store on San Pablo Avenue near Stockton Street

A 55-year-old man working at a store in the Cerrito Galleria mini-mall was stabbed Thursday morning after an altercation with a man that turned violent, according to El Cerrito police.

The conflict started when the store employee saw a Hispanic male smoking a controlled substance in the parking lot near the store, said Lt. J.T. Wahrlich. The store employee asked the smoker to leave the area but instead, the man took out a knife and stabbed the 55-year-old man.

A Stab Wound and A Witness

Lt. J.T. Wahrlich said El Cerrito police responded to a call at 11:24 a.m. Patrol officers found a man suffering from a stab wound to the abdomen. The man was taken by ambulance to John Muir Hospital.

At the scene police quickly interviewed a co-worker who described the suspect and said he had fled south on San Pablo Avenue.

Suspect Detained Within 10 Minutes

Within ten minutes a patrol officer had located a man matching the suspect’s description on the Ohlone Greenway near Central Avenue and detained him, Wahrlich said. Police then brought the witness there to identify the suspect in an in-field showup, he said.

Police later said the suspect is Devin Gonzales, a 41-year-old homeless man.

Assault With a Deadly Weapon Charge

Police charged Gonzales with assault with a deadly weapon, Wahrlich said. Gonzales was in custody and was scheduled to be moved to the county jail in Martinez later Thursday.

Injured Man Was Recovering

The 55-year-old man who was stabbed was in stable condition and was expected to fully recover, police said.

A man who was working the store counter early Thursday afternoon said the injured man was his brother and several family members were at the hospital where he was being cared for. The family expected him to be released later on Thursday.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.  Anyone with information can call the tip line at 510-235-4435 or email at investigations@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us