California stabbing spree: Four people killed and two injured in Orange County attacks

Four people have been stabbed to death and two others seriously injured during a series of robberies carried out by just one man in a single afternoon in California.

Business, homes and a gas station in the city of Garden Grove and neighbouring Santa Ana were all targeted during the apparently random two-hour spree, police say.

One man, who survived, was slashed so badly his nose was severed.

The 33-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene of the final killing on Wednesday.

Speaking at a news conference shortly after he had been detained, Lieutenant Carl Whitney, of Garden Grove Police Department, said: “This guy was full of anger and he harmed a lot of people.”

The carnage is believed to have started during an attempted robbery at a bakery about 4pm before the suspect – who was armed with at least one machete-style knife – moved onto an apartment complex where two people were stabbed to death.

Two more robberies followed at local business, including at an insurance company where a woman was knifed – but survived – and a gas station where a man filling his vehicle had his face repeatedly slashed.

Another victim, believed to be an employee of a Subway sandwich shop, was killed in a nearby parking lot before a shop security guard was also fatally stabbed.

It was there that police finally caught up with and arrested the suspect – who was leaving the store with the guard’s own gun.

“These are all random acts of violence,” said Lt Whitney. “Our suspect was not associated with any of our victims.”

Asked for a possible motive, he said: “We don’t know. It’s just pure hate that this guy did this.”

He added that detectives were continuing to interview the man, who is from Garden Grove, and combing for evidence at eight different crime scenes.

Surveillance cameras caught some of the carnage, he added.

“We have video showing him attacking these people and conducting these murders,” Lt Whitney said.