Police: Father and Daughter Fatally Stabbed by Homeless Man in Southern California

A father and his 22-year-old daughter were stabbed to death by a homeless man outside a shopping center in Palmdale, California.

The fatal stabbing occurred before noon on Thursday in a Kohl’s Department store parking lot in the 39800 block of 10th Street West, according to police, per the Los Angeles Times.

McKenna Evans was pronounced dead on the scene, and Ken Evans, 54, was rushed to hospital but later died of his injuries.

According to police, the two family members were working on a vehicle they owned in the parking lot when they were suddenly attacked.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office later arrested a suspect — who has not been identified as of yet — and believe he may be a transient.

Police have not found the weapon used in the attack.

Elizabeth Evans, the wife and mother of the two victims, is devastated over their deaths, telling KTLA that she is “absolutely destroyed.”

“She wasn’t just my daughter, she was my best friend,” Elizabeth said when speaking of McKenna. “She was an absolute beacon … She didn’t know a stranger. Everybody became her best friend.”

Elizabeth also said her late husband was a “doting father” who loved his daughter.

“He loved playing pool, he loved mountain biking, he loved spending time with his daughter,” she said.

Elizabeth believes the attack was random.

A GoFundMe page has been organized for the victim’s family and has raised more than $18,000 of its $20,000.

The fatal stabbing comes as crime is skyrocketing in Southern California and across the nation under President Joe Biden. In 2021, there were 397 homicides in Los Angeles, its highest mark since 2007. As of October 22 of this year, there have been 322 homicides recorded, according to the LAPD.

You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.