A man suspected in two stabbings in Long Beach, including a fatal one, is in custody today.
Long Beach Police Department homicide investigators identified and arrested 56-year-old Michael Smalls on Monday in connection with the killing of Christopher Finley 28 of Long Beach, according to a statement from the Long Beach Police Department.
Police were called at approximately 11:47 p.m. Friday to the 1700 block of Broadway regarding an assault with a deadly weapon and found Finley and another man suffering from stab wounds, the statement said.
Both men were taken to a hospital, where Finely died of his injuries Saturday.
Police said they believed the fatal stabbing stemmed from two altercations. In the first confrontation, Finely and the second stabbing victim were involved in an altercation in front of a business with a man who was armed with a stun gun.
In the second altercation, Smalls allegedly was involved in a fight with both victims, which escalated to Smalls stabbing them, police said.
Smalls then fled on a bicycle.
The man with the stun gun was detained at the scene and arrested on an unrelated charge. Smalls was booked into the Long Beach City Jail on one count of murder and one count of attempted murder. He is being held on $2 million bail, according to court records.
Anyone with information regarding the case was asked to call Homicide Detectives Michael Hubbard and Jesus Espinoza at 562- 570-7244. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.
