LAPD hunt second suspect in parking lot attack that left student dead

The Los Angeles Police Department is searching for a second suspect involved in the fatal knife attack of a 17-year-old high school student in El Sereno, California. According to the LAPD, David Anthony Zapata (pictured left), 32, was arrested Wednesday evening in the stabbing of Xavier David Chavarin (pictured right), 17, as well as Daniel Villalobos, 33, hours after the attack on the Woodrow Wilson High School student.

Police now say they are searching for a second person who may have driven the vehicle Zapata used to get away from the crime scenes. The stabbing of the straight-A student happened unprovoked, and video shows Zapata walking through a parking lot toward the teen before drawing a knife out of his pocket.

Chavarin went inside the King Torta restaurant on Valley Boulevard begging for help before collapsing on the floor and dying at the scene, police said. According to officers, a potential second suspect is being sought in the stabbings. Police did not release a name or description of the person involved. Officers said they’re ‘actively pursuing’ leads related to the get-away driver. As of Thursday afternoon, no additional arrests have been made. Pictured: Stabbing suspect David Anthony Zapata.

In a recent press conference, LAPD officials said that Zapata – who has a history of mental illness – attacked both Chavarin and Villalobos ‘without provocation.’ ‘Both incidents were completely unprovoked,’ Detective Ryan Rabbett (pictured right) said. ‘These citizens were attacked for no apparent reason.’ Despite his health history, the detective said that is no excuse for the attacks. ‘His mental health is no reason for what he did, and I’ll simply leave it at that,’ he said. Rabbett said Zapata had seven previous misdemeanor arrests but no felony arrests.

Police say Zapata stabbed Villalobos hours after Chavarin (pictured) and just ‘about a mile and a half away’ from the first scene. According to reports, Chavarin was stabbed outside the King Torto restaurant while he was waiting for his mother. ‘He never knew this was going to happen. It’s one of those cases where he’s just at the wrong time, wrong place,’ a family friend, Ricky Ramiro, told KTLA. The LAPD arrested the man on Wednesday after receiving a tip that someone similar looking lived in the Alhambra home. He had also reportedly caused issues within his own neighborhood.

The LAPD gang and narcotics division barricaded the home on Westmont Drive around 7am and two armored vehicles were brought in to block the surrounding area, the Los Angeles Times reported. Commander German Hurtado and a crisis negotiator persuaded the man to leave the home after several hours.

A mental health evaluation team, the crisis negotiator, and the man’s mother spoke with him on the phone to convince him to come out, the Times reported. He was taken into custody without incident. ‘I don’t want to taint the investigation, [but] he is not going to be able to hurt anyone else,’ Hurtado said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Woodrow Wilson High School Principal Gregorio Verbera said the school was ‘saddened’ by the student’s death and he offered his ‘deepest condolences to those who are impacted by this loss, including the student’s family, friends and teachers.’ The family has set up a GoFundMe page for Chavarin’s funeral, which has already raised $52,276 – surpassing its $25,000 goal. Anyone with information on the case or the unknown second suspect is asked to call detectives at 213-996-4116. Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. 

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