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Investigators are looking for a man who slashed the neck of a man in his 70s and drove off in his car outside a Lakewood restaurant Tuesday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies know who the attacker is but do not want to release his name, according to Sgt. M. Ramirez, who would not provide his own first name. The suspect is a man in his 30s and is in a “possible dating relationship” with the victim, Ramirez said.

“They were in the car, there was an argument, the attack occurred and the suspect drove off in the car,” Ramirez said.

The victim ran into the Super Mex at the Lakewood Center mall to ask for help and was transported to a local hospital, where he is expected to recover, Ramirez said.

Ramirez said the incident was reported as a stabbing at around 1:30 p.m., but the wound is “more like a slash” on the neck.

Valerie Osier is the Social Media & Newsletter Manager for the Long Beach Post. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @ValerieOsier