A homicide suspect was arrested after four separate stabbing incidents left two dead and two others injured near Denver’s 16th Street Mall over the weekend.
One of the people stabbed was a flight attendant on a layover who was at the wrong place at the wrong time when she was stabbed in the seemingly random attacks.
Authorities were on the hunt for a suspect over the weekend after three people were stabbed along 16th Street on Saturday evening — one fatally — and a fourth person was stabbed — also fatally — in the same area on Sunday night, Denver Police said.
Late Sunday, authorities announced that they had apprehended a suspect in connection to the four attacks. Police said they would release his identity on Monday morning after he had been booked into jail.
“It appears right now that there is no connection between the suspect & victims, and the motive is unknown,” police said in a statement Sunday, before the fourth stabbing incident.
The first stabbing occurred near 16th Street and Tremont Street at approximately 5:12 p.m and involved a man, who was “slashed in the face” but suffered non-life threatening injuries, police said. He was treated at the hospital and has been discharged, Denver7 reported.
A suspect was arrested after four people were stabbed near Denver Mall over the weekend. Two died in the attacks police described as random (Denver Police Department)
Just five minutes later, the suspect stabbed a second victim — a woman — near 16th Street and California Street. She did not survive her injuries and was later identified as a flight attendant.
In a third incident, at around 5:54 p.m. near 16th Street and Lawrence Street, a man was injured when slashed in the arms and torso, Denver7 reported. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive, police say.
All of the victims were alone when they were attacked and these attacks appeared to be “unprovoked,” Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said in a press conference.
After the third stabbing, authorities said they put a “large police presence” in the area.
The fourth attack happened around 16th Street and Market Street. The victim was killed, but has not yet been identified.
During the press conference, Chief Thomas warned: “There’s someone out there who is indiscriminately stabbing people and causing significant harm.”
Celinda Levno, a flight attendant from Phoenix, was fatally stabbed in the attack. (Association of Professional Flight Attendants)
He continued: “We recognize the concern that causes for the community, we are doing all that we can to locate that individual and bring them to justice, and I want to assure people that there are significant resources in the downtown area to prevent something like this from happening again.”
Police have not revealed the slain victims’ identity, but the Association of Professional Flight Attendants identified the second victim as 71-year-old Celinda Levno, who had worked as a flight attendant for 35 years.
“We are all beyond heartbroken about the loss of our beloved Celinda Anne,” Josephine Dale, Levno’s friend, told the outlet. “She was truly the most incredible and kind woman out there.
“Celinda’s love for her horses, friends, and family will always be remembered. We stand in support with Celinda’s family, friends, and our colleagues in Phoenix Inflight as they process this senseless tragedy.”