Tobias Gutierrez was the suspect. He is a 42-year old man with a criminal record that includes burglary, battery, and possession of controlled substances.
According to New Mexico’s largest municipality, he was arrested on Monday for aggravated battery with deadly weapon. According to his booking documents, he was homeless.
It appeared that the stabbings were random and occurred within hours of each other on Central Avenue, one city’s main thoroughfares. According to a criminal complaint, one of the crime scenes was a homeless encampment. Another was close to a smokeshop where the suspect demanded money from a victim and shouted obscenities before swinging the knife.
Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesperson, stated that there is no rhyme or reason to the attacks.
It was not immediately clear if Gutierrez had a lawyer that could speak for him.
New Mexico court records indicate that Gutierrez was also charged with drug possession and driving while impaired over the years.
According to records, Gutierrez did not appear in court in 2014 for driving with a suspended license. The court received a handwritten response from Gutierrez stating that he was currently in federal custody in another County and was trying to improve himself while in prison.
His federal sentence stemmed out of a case where he entered a tribal casino north Albuquerque with a revolver, ammunition and a firearm.
According to authorities, Gutierrez was involved in an altercation that resulted in Gutierrez dropping his revolver and getting into a vehicle. He then led police on a chase through the suburbs until he crashed into a tree and was discovered hiding.
According to records, he was released in 2020 from federal custody.
Also, records show that police were called twice to his mother’s house last September for domestic disturbances. One of these calls was for him being accused of stabbing her husband. There were no charges.
Sunday’s attacks started at 11:15 AM when officers responded to a scene in downtown. They found a man with a cut to his hand. A second call was received about a stabbing at a nearby smoke shop, just a few miles from the University of New Mexico.
Two more stabbings were reported along Central Avenue in the following two hours. At 2 p.m., another call was received about a man who attempted to stab people outside of a convenience shop. Two neck injuries were discovered by officers who arrived at the scene.
Two more calls were received within 20 minutes. The final involved a victim who was stabbed at a restaurant on a busy street less that a mile away.
Witnesses identified a man riding a bicycle with a large knife. Many witnesses described the man’s behavior as strange and claimed he seemed upset.
According to the criminal complaint, an officers saw a suspect matching the description. He was seen to throw something into a trashcan before the officer stopped him. A warrant was issued and a knife was discovered.
They were all taken to various hospitals. Two of the victims sustained serious injuries. However, all were stable, according to police. Others were treated and released.
