A transient man is accused of stabbing at another transient man 22 times in what police described as a random attack Tuesday outside a church in central Vancouver.
The victim, identified as David Paiva, 38, suffered two stab wounds to the right arm and three to his back, court records state. The prosecution said he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.
The suspect, who initially appeared in court Wednesday as John Doe, gave multiple false names and birthdates to police and court officials. He was back in court Thursday under an alias before being identified as 25-year-old Alex Edward Luna.
Luna is facing charges of attempted first-degree murder and first-degree robbery. Court records show he’s also wanted on an Oregon parole violation; there’s a no-bail hold in that case.
Once his identity was confirmed, his bail was set at $750,000 in the stabbing. He is scheduled to be arraigned March 3, court records show.
Vancouver police were dispatched around 3 a.m. to a fast-food restaurant in the 2100 block of East Fourth Plain Boulevard after the caller reporting finding a stabbing victim. Officers learned the stabbing occurred on the steps of River City Church, 2400 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., according to a probable cause affidavit.
Paiva told police he was stabbed with a large, serrated military-style knife. The stabbing suspect was described as a man with a beard and shaggy hair, wearing shorts and all black clothing, the affidavit says.
Officers found a man, who appeared to match the suspect’s description, walking through the nearby Waterworks Park, court records say.
Police said they found two knives in Luna’s possession: a 12-inch, serrated knife and a 7-inch knife, according to the affidavit.
A surveillance camera at the church captured video and audio of the stabbing. It shows an assailant, alleged to be Luna, approaching Paiva as he sleeps on the steps of the church. Luna then begins rummaging through Paiva’s shopping cart. Paiva awakes and yells at Luna not to touch his belongings, court records say.
The affidavit states Luna “stabs (Paiva) approximately seven times with the large black knife in his right hand and then seamlessly brings his left hand up with a second knife and stabs eight more times with both knives.”
Paiva was able to get away. Luna is seen less than a minute later removing items from Paiva’s shopping cart before walking away, according to the affidavit.
