What started out as a typical Friday morning turned into a nightmare for a Los Angeles family. As they got ready to leave for school, a 10-year-old girl was stabbed. Her grandfather, who was apparently taking her to school, was also stabbed. The pair were victims of a carjacking that ended with them being taken to the hospital, but it seems that they’re both going to be fine despite their injuries. The man who hurt them and took their car has been described as dealing with severe mental health challenges. Neighbors don’t care much, however, and are speaking up.
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the incident, which took place in the San Fernando Valley, shortly before 8 a.m. on February 6, 2026, KTLA reported. They found two victims: an elderly man and a 10-year-old girl with stab wounds.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said the victims were treated on the scene and taken to the hospital. Several hours later, the 10-year-old girl was released, but her grandfather remained hospitalized because he was stabbed in the neck and an artery may have been hit.
According to the LAFD, he was in stable condition. Ring camera footage caught the frantic scene, showing the suspect confronting the grandfather before jumping into the family’s car, ABC 7 reported. Although police described the suspect as a transient, neighbors say he is known to them and his family lives on the street where the incident happened.
Neighbors say the suspect, who was identified as Eric Avilez, has been a problem on the street for a while.
“All kinds of crazy stuff,” neighbor Mike Agajanyan told ABC 7. “Just your worst nightmare as a neighbor. You don’t want this in your neighborhood.”
Agajanyan also gave a detailed account of what happened, speaking for the family, who didn’t want to be on camera.
“The grandpa puts the granddaughter into the car, psychopath runs at the granddaughter, attempts or straight up stabs her on the arm, grandpa runs at him,” he said. “He turns a knife on him and stabs him in the neck and on the arm, and then that moron jumps into the car. Luckily, the grandpa was able to pull the kid out of the car, and takes off with their car.”
LAPD Sgt. Michael Foster confirmed that the suspect drove off in the family’s car. “We were able to track that vehicle to that location,” he said. The car was found several miles from the scene, according to authorities.
Avilez’s family spoke with ABC 7, telling them he’s been dealing with mental health issues.
“He has mental issues. I wanted him to get the help. I didn’t want it to come to this,” shared his brother, Esteban Avilez. “The place they had him instituted at, somebody told him he doesn’t have to take his medication, and he listened to that person.”
Agajanyan spoke with Fox 11, telling the outlet that the suspect may have been targeting the 10-year-old girl he stabbed.
Eric Avilez was arrested around 2 p.m. February 6. He hadn’t been booked yet, but Fox 11 reported he would face attempted murder charges.
