Police probe stabbings of 2 teens at South Bay shopping mall
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Police detectives are investigating the stabbings of two teenagers Saturday night at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach.
Investigators are reviewing mall surveillance video that might assist their probe.
The boy and the girl were taken to an area hospital and were listed in serious condition, according to the Redondo Beach Police Department.
The stabbings occurred in the public area of the mall’s third level, which is where the movie theaters, a food court and various shops are located.
As of late Saturday night police said they had found no witnesses. A mall security officer discovered the injured pair and called for help from police, who already were in the mall area. Before the boy passed out, he provided a general description of the suspect, said Sgt. David Christian.
Many stores were in the process of closing as the investigation began, and although officers did not order a lockdown, they did stop vehicles as they left the mall. The attacker, however, is still at large.
‘We did not have a lot to go on,’ Christian said. ‘We basically blocked all the exits for the parking area. We just stopped every car that went by and looked inside with a flashlight and talked to the people inside. It was a lot of cars.’
Redondo Beach police were assisted by police from Torrance, Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. A manager at the movie complex told The Times that the mall administration had directed her to close down the theaters.
‘We don’t know anything about it,’ said the woman, who did not give her name. ‘I don’t know what happened. The mall said you need to close down.’
Christian said he was not aware of any order from police to close the cinemas but he said he thought that after the incident, the theaters were allowing no further admissions.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Redondo Beach Police tip line at (310) 937-6685, or send a text message to (310) 339-2362.
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