San Leandro neighborhood on edge after fatal stabbing

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (KGO) -- Police in San Leandro are investigating a homicide they say appears to be justified. They say a man stabbed a would-be robber to death at 143rd Avenue.

This was a double stabbing; both the victim and the suspect were stabbed in this very violent robbery attempt. Police say a San Leandro man in his 30s was trying to protect his own life, when he grabbed his attacker's knife. Police are not releasing any names, but we do know the victim is recovering at a hospital in serious condition.

San Leandro police say it appears the victim of an attempted robbery killed his attacker, by fighting back.

"It appears to be a justifiable homicide," said San Leandro Police Lt. Ron Clark.

Clark says the injured victim wrestled away the suspect's knife and stabbed him to death. This happened in a residential neighborhood along 143rd Avenue, near Heath Park. A neighbor heard screaming and called 911.

"He was like help me help me! I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die! There were two guys. I heard two guys fighting. And then that's when they came. And one guy was the floor. The other guy, they were telling him to put the knife down," said the neighbor

This all started around 12:45 a.m. Police say the 22-year-old suspect was hiding, looking for someone to rob, when a man walked by talking on a cellphone. The suspect approached him, demanded his phone and wallet, then stabbed him multiple times. The victim tossed his wallet and ran, but quickly realized he was being chased.

"So the suspect catches up the victim, victim turns and in some sort of a fight manages to take away the knife and then stabs the suspect in self-defense we believe," said San Leandro Police Department Lt. Ron Clark.

Both men were taken to the hospital, only the victim survived. The Alameda County crime lab processed the scene. Both the victim and suspect lived in the area, but didn't know each other. The case will now be handed over to the district attorney's office.