A Long Beach judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of a third suspect in connection to the stabbing aboard the Metro A Line in April that left a 25-year-old man dead.
Prosecutors identified 21-year-old Gael Cruz Gonzalez as the suspect who has yet to be arrested for the stabbing death of Los Angeles resident Luis Fernando Polita on April 12. His city of residence was not available.
Authorities say Gonzalez, along with Akili Collins and Melake Daniel—both of whom have already been arrested and charged with murder—boarded the Metro train sometime after 3:30 p.m., when entered Long Beach.
That’s when the trio allegedly approached Polita and assaulted him. During the fight, one of them pulled out a knife and stabbed Polita multiple times, police said. Polita was removed from the train by paramedics and taken to a local hospital where he died, according to police.
When the train came to a stop at the Metro station near First Street and Pine Avenue, Gonzalez, Collins and Daniel exited and fled on foot prior. Collins and Daniel, however, were taken into custody in Long Beach a few days later.
Polita was removed from the train by paramedics, who performed CPR before transporting him to a local hospital where he died from his injuries, police said.
While a motive for the attack hasn’t been made clear, Long Beach police previously said Polita was specifically targeted by the suspects.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct Gael Cruz Gonzalez’s age.
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