A 24-year-old woman was stabbed in a midafternoon attack
outside a department store in the Westfield Shoppingtown UTC on Feb. 9. Police
have apprehended a male suspect who they say stabbed the woman in the chest
five times with an unknown object before fleeing the scene.
The San Diego Police Department is currently holding the
suspect, 42-year-old Gerardo Pascual, in the San Diego Central Jail on the
charge of attempted first-degree murder. Pascual was detained shortly after the
stabbing occurred at a bus stop in the shopping mall and was identified by the
victim, police said.
The victim, Elizabeth Clevenstine, had just left her car on
the second story of a parking structure east of Nordstrom and was walking
toward the mall’s interior when she turned back to retrieve a forgotten item
from her car. When she opened the trunk of her car at approximately
and grabbed her, attempting to drag her to the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Clevenstine struggled with the man, and he stabbed her with an unknown
instrument approximately five times in the hands, chest and abdomen before
fleeing the scene.
Clevenstine made her way toward the second-story entrance of
Nordstrom, where she collapsed. Store security alerted police, who arrived at
the scene a few minutes later.
Upon investigating the surrounding area, Lt. Mark Jones
spotted Pascual, who fit Clevenstine’s description, and arrested him.
Police said that the crime appears to have been an attempted
carjacking, though no motive has been confirmed.
Additionally, police have been unable to recover any weapon
from the scene.
Clevenstine was treated at a local hospital following the
attack and underwent surgery on Monday. She is expected to survive, police
said.
Pascual is scheduled to appear in court today. His attorney
has said that Pascual’s arrest was a result of mistaken identity.
SDPD media relations manager Mónica Muñoz said that the
assault was the first time a violent crime such as this has occurred at UTC.
According to police records, a combined 159 acts of violent crime occurred in
the
areas last year.
Given the unpredictable nature of these crimes, police
advise people to exercise measures of caution at all times.
“It’s a really good idea to take a self-defense class so
that you’re able to defend yourself in this kind of situation,” Muñoz said.
“It’s also a good idea not to shop alone, but to be with someone.”
She also recommended that people use their cell phones
responsibly, especially in remote areas such as parking lots.
“We also advise that you not talk on your phone when you’re
by yourself in a parking lot, because you need to be able to pay attention to
what’s going on around you,” she said. “But it’s also important to keep your
phone on you at all times in case you need to call for help.”
