The incident happened on Saturday night, when police received reports about a stabbing in a shopping center parking lot next to the Jamiaa Raazi Islamic Center in Simi Valey, the media reported on Sunday; Press TV reported.
After arriving at the scene, police took into custody the attacker, who had stabbed the man after starting a verbal altercation with him, Police Sergeant Adam Darough said.
“During their investigation, [officers] discovered a suspect had confronted a worshiper from the mosque, and after a verbal altercation, they began to fight,” he said. “During the fight, [the suspect] stabbed the victim.”
“We’re investigating whether or not this was instigated by [the victim’s] appearance and the association with the mosque,” Darough said. “We’re quite concerned that this occurred. We want to keep people of all faiths safe in the city.”
Identified as John Matteson (pictured below), the assailant had a history of attacking Muslims and was believed to be the suspect in a number of similar cases, according to Darough.
218-11