Flower vendor stabbed in frightening Hawthorne attack caught on camera

A Los Angeles street vendor was stabbed in what appears to be a random attack that was captured on video. 

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies are looking for a man seen in the video who attacked 65-year-old Juan Diaz near the 105 Freeway overpass in Hawthorne on Halloween. Diaz, who was selling flowers on the side of the road, suffered several stab wounds. 

“I was just selling my flowers… and he started staring at me,” Diaz said. “Gave me a mean look. I put my head down, and then he came to me and started pushing me. He had a blade in his hand and pretty much wanted to kill me.”

Diaz tried to defend himself with a scooter to block the attacker. He fell to the ground, hoping the man would stop. Video captured the sound of witnesses yelling at the man.

But the brutal assault didn’t stop.

“When I saw him stab my chest, I didn't feel anything until 30 seconds later,” Diaz said. “I looked down and saw that I was covered in blood. And a lady came to me and said, ‘Sit down, sir,’ and I answered, ‘Why?’ And, the lady again said, ‘Sit down, you are bleeding a lot.”

That woman turned out to be a nurse. She provided aid at the scene before Diaz was taken to a hospital.

Diaz is recovering at his daughter’s home.

No arrests were reported.