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Azusa Police to Step Up Patrols After Wave of Violent Crime

The Azusa Police Department plans to step up patrols following three separate violent crimes in as many days that left two of four victims in critical condition.

"At this point we're investigating them as if they are random, but we are definitely looking to see if any of them are related in any way," Azusa Police Sgt. Xavier Torres said.

On Sunday, two men who had left Praise Chapel Azusa church at 630 E. 5th Street were stabbed multiple times after getting into a fight with another person down the street.

About 12 hours earlier, police say another stabbing took place in the 200 block of West First Street. A man was walking when he was confronted by people in a passing car. A fight broke out, resulting in a man being stabbed twice. Officers were searching for three attackers in that case.

The stabbings followed a shooting two days before of a 17-year-old in another Azusa neighborhood.

"I would categorize them as being unusual for our city because we had so many all in such a short amount of time," Torres said.

For resident Tomas Lopez Sosa, who regularly rides his bicycle past the church, he says the sudden spike in crime makes him feel "nervous, a little tense."

Specialized investigators will not only try and solve these cases but prevent further spikes.

"As a result of these incidents we are putting more officers on the streets," Torres said.

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