Torrance Man Charged With Attempted Murder of Officer

A Torrance man was charged with attempted murder after police say he stabbed a Long Beach police officer multiple times during a confrontation Friday afternoon in downtown Long Beach. Arturo Fernandez, 44, was taken into custody after four federal air marshals assisting nearby rushed to help officers subdue him. The officer, who sustained multiple stab wounds, was taken to a hospital and later released. Investigators determined that a fight had broken out before officers arrived, and that Fernandez was armed with a knife at the time of the encounter. Bail was set at $1 million, and homicide detectives will present the case to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office next week. Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said the attack served as a reminder of the dangers faced by officers while praising the federal air marshals for their assistance. In a separate incident in Pattaya, Thailand, a police investigator was arrested and charged with murder after allegedly shooting a cannabis shop owner dead during a drunken argument early Sunday morning. Pol Sub Lt Jeerasak Srikattanam, 54, a deputy investigation inspector at Muang Pattaya police station, was reportedly drinking with a group behind the victim's shop when he became involved in a heated argument. CCTV footage showed the suspect arguing with another man before 41-year-old Phattharathorn Jirachokchaikul stepped in to defuse the situation, raising his hands in a wai gesture. The officer allegedly fired his 11mm handgun at close range, hitting the victim twice beneath his left ribcage. Phattharathorn collapsed and later died despite first-aid efforts by friends and shop staff. The suspect, who was heavily intoxicated, has been taken into custody and faces charges of premeditated homicide, firing a gun in public, and carrying a firearm without valid reason. An internal disciplinary panel has been established to investigate the incident. Meanwhile, in Melbourne, Australia, a driver without a license has been charged after allegedly killing a man outside a comic convention. The incident occurred near the convention venue, though full details of the circumstances surrounding the fatal event have not yet been released. Authorities continue to investigate the case, and additional information is expected to be released as the investigation progresses.