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A Russian lady friend of Lena's was stabbed and robbed in Hollywood.

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Posted by: Khashyar

Hi Everyone,

About a week ago, a Russian lady friend of Lena's was stabbed in Hollywood, about 2 blocks from the Kodak Theater, on a quiet residential street.

The Russian friend (let's call her "Sveta") and a second Russian friend who was walking with her (let's call her "Olga") were walking to Sveta's car in the evening after she get off of work, and a man pushed came running towards them from behind.

The man first took Olga's purse quickly from her shoulder. Olga saw the man's knife, and could do nothing as the man then went towards Sveta, pushing Sveta to the ground, falling on top of her and stabbing her in the lower back, and also taking her purse.

Olga, who had watched the man fall on top of Sveta, didn't know what to do as she had never faced anything like this. She turned around, ran and screamed at the top of her lungs for help, in a voice louder than she had ever used before.

She ran faster than she ever had before, even as the criminal began running after her.

A man from an apartment building directly at the crime scene, ran down in his sleeping clothes and began chasing the criminal.

The man's wife took a shocked and injured Sveta into their apartment where they (and 12 other neighbors) called 911 for emergency help.

Dozens of nearby Los Angeles police were alerted and began moving into action.

Meanwhile, a running and yelling Olga reached one of the most famous and prestigious hotels in Hollywood (the Roosevelt Hotel), and quickly yet painfully belted out what had happened. Two large security guards from the hotel jumped into a big black SUV with Olga, and they went to the crime scene, jumped out of the car, and drew their guns.

The criminal was gone, and Olga was terrified because she did not see her friend, who she had last seen on the sidewalk.

Further down the street, at a busy intersection (La Brea and Sunset Ave, near a Starbucks), the man from the apartment (who was chasing the criminal) yelled at the criminal: "What did you do, you M*ther F***er."

The criminal turned around, showed him his knife and said: "Do you want me to do the same thing to you?"

At that point, the criminal dropped his knife, and began to run East on Sunset Blvd.

The man from the apartment grabbed the dropped knife, and ran north back towards his apartment, which was about 2 blocks away.

Police took Olga into a police car, were asking her questions, and over 30 police began encircling the area.

Sveta, in the apartment of the man who had chased the criminal, and being comforted by the wife, noticed that she felt a pain in her side. Only then did she notice that she has been stabbed, and there was a great deal of bllod on her clothes and on the floor of the apartment.

Police dogs were brought in, and somehow, a dog picked up the scent of the criminal from the knife, and several dogs began to follow the scent on the wet pavement (we from rain that had fallen a few hours before).

The dogs led police to an apartment building south of Sunset Blvd., and perhaps 8 to 10 blocks from the crime scene.

They used a pass key to enter the building, were led to the exact apartment unit by the dogs, and they entered the building and arrested a man.

Olga, who had looked into the eyes of the criminal and said that she could never forget what his eyes looked like, and the man who has chased the criminal, were sitting in the patrol car when police brought the suspect near the police car window and asked them if this was the man.

Olga and the apartment hero both were certain, and gave a positive ID.

In the garbage dumpster of the apartment building where they found the suspected criminal, they found Olga and Sveta's purses, as well as other purses.

Police suspected that the man may have been on drugs.

Sveta was bleeding quite a bit from her lower back, and internally near her lung.

An ambulance rushed her to the best hospital in the Los Angeles area, where Sveta was taken to trauma surgery.

Fortunately, perhaps because of the wide shape of the knife, the knife did not go through the lung, and miraculously, it did not touch or harm any other organs.

The surgery went well, and she was taken to a hospital room, where she was in emotional shock, and was in a lot of pain, undestandably crying often.

Lena (Who is one of Sveta's only friends in America) and I visited Sveta in the hospital about 2 hours after the incident. Lena's friend's American husband was also there.

We stayed with her a couple of hours, Lena was speaking with her in Russian. (The friend speaks fluent English, but somehow speaking in Russian was more comforting).

Lena's friend had a tube that was placed underneath her skin near the lung to drain and gently suck out any blood and other fluids, and she had to walk every few hours around the hospital hallway with the tube still inserted into her skin near the lung.

We visited Sveta again the next day in the hospital, and she was released home a day after that.

So, Sveta and Olga obviously experienced a very traumatic event.

The Los Angeles police who patrol the Hollywood area were genuinely surprised that a criminal could get away with a crime near Hollywood and Highland, which is one of the most police-patroled area of Los Angeles-- there are literally 2 or 3 foot police on every block.

I believe that it was a fluke occurance of a man who was on drugs, and who committed a violent and ignorant crime, and that Sveta and Olga were at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Lena's friend is resting at home now, but feels understandably traumatized, and is planning on going to Russia to spend time with her family, probably for at least 2 or 3 months.

Because she is so traumatized, I wonder if she will want to come back to America.

Khashyar

P.S. Interestingly, Sveta also was involved in a major car accident about one year earlier, where she another car ran through a red light and hit the side of her car. The driver of the other car lied and denied that he had run through the red light, and his insurance company was refusing to pay until another witness came forth can verified Sveta's side of the story. Even after that, the insurance company did not want to pay the full amount for the damage.



Posted by: AkMike

Wow, That's terrible. I'm glad she will be ok.



Posted by: Khashyar

Yes, I am too. She could have easily been killed.

I'm also glad that the criminal was caught.

By the way, we had heard that the robbery and stabbing is the criminal's "Third strike," meaning that he has had two pervious violent crimes, and if he is convicted of this crime, he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

Khashyar



Posted by: Jill

HOLY CRAP! (Pardon my French). I'm glad she's OK, though....Wow...That poor woman...



Posted by: Khashyar

Yes, Jill.

Imagine her feelings about America, now. She has been in the U.S. for 8 years, but it is difficult for us to understand what she is going through (and went through).

Khashyar



Posted by: Lafe

WOW! Sorry about all of the trouble, And I'm glad everyone is physically ok. It's a shame they had to witness the "ugly" side of our culture, I hope they get through it all ok. The majority of the people are still caring, but some nut can sure screw up our focus. I hope she comes back. Good luck



Posted by: Khashyar

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lafe
WOW! Sorry about all of the trouble, And I'm glad everyone is physically ok. It's a shame they had to witness the "ugly" side of our culture, I hope they get through it all ok. The majority of the people are still caring, but some nut can sure screw up our focus. I hope she comes back. Good luck


That's true, Lafe.

And because of the strong police presence in Hollywood, especially in the heavily visited tourist areas near the Kodak Theater (where the Academy Awards are held), and Grauman's Chinese Theater, criminals who have any sense avoid that area.

I think that it was an unfortunate chance occurance.

Khashyar



Posted by: clever1

I'm sorry to hear of Lena's friends misfortune Khashyar, I'm sure everyone on the forum will join with me to wish her a speedy recovery, not only physically but mentally also.

I just wish that more of these incidents would affect those people that see good in everyone, and who put normal citizens at higher risk because of their attitudes as to how criminals should be treated.

John



Posted by: Cheburashka

Thank God that she is OK. It could have been so much worse. At least she'll have a sense of justice as she heals. Please wish her our best from the members of this forum.



Posted by: Khashyar

Thanks for the kind words, John and Cheb.

Actually, Lena and I were in Hollywood this afternoon, and saw that Lena's friend "Sveta" was working at her job today. Apparently, they are allowing her to work for 2 to 3 hours at a time, so that she can get out and help her healing process, even though she feels pain and cannot lift things and walk too fast.

That takes courage to get out there so fast, but I think she needed to do that for her state-of-mind.

Khashyar



Posted by: OzGuyLooking

A very sad event and one that should not have happened. From us guys in the Aussie section please pass on our best wishes.



Posted by: yodaamnot

Best wishes and a speedy recovery.

A mate of mine was in a car accident a couple of weeks ago and the person who hit him denied that he was in the wrong.

It was obvious from the traffic light and the give way sign that, this person was in the wrong. The insurance companies are fighting it out at the moment.

From memory all insurance company advise their clients NOT to admit guilty!!!



Posted by: Khashyar

Thanks for the good wishes, Mates...

I will tell Lena to tell "Sveta."

Khashyar



Posted by: searcher

I'm rather shocked too!!!

Most criminals will flee when someone make a lot of noise as they don't want to attract the attention of those that would possibly help the victim. Considering that he was on drugs, that would explain a lot of things about his behavior.

I do think that is a very unusual occurance and I hope she has a speedy recovery.

I hope it does not traumatize her and I have much sympathy for her.

Be sure to tell her that we all wish her the best.



Posted by: Spakoyna

Wow! This is terrible! I am so happy they caught the SOB. So many times they get away with this. My wife is a bit sensitive. I usually do not point out things like this. I think I am going to point her to this thread so she will better understand why I was worried about her in the beginning of her adaptation to our culture. I think this is an excellent example of what the guy from Tenn. was trying to get across that very few understood. I do not have the time to find the thread. Perhaps someone else could? He was shot down for being insecure! Our country is not a bed of roses. :-(



Posted by: Texas Proud

First off, let me say how tragic this incident is and wish her very well... it already looks like she is on the road to recovery...

And then I would also like to point out that this could have happened to anybody at any time anywhere.. he was drugged and did not look for a Russian... he just saw an opportunity and took it.. usually they do not slash, just grab and run...

And to me this is why drugs should not be legalized... I keep hearing how it is a victimless crime (like when people say prostitution is victimless !!), but how are these people going to get their drugs??? They are not the kind of people who will work even if they could buy it at the local store... they will still commit crimes..

And my final thought is how good most of the people were!!! Both women got help from strangers that did not know them at all... one risked his life to track down the perp!!! One bad guy, many good ones.. its not like they said, to bad, can't do anything about it... just bleed until the ambulance comes...



Posted by: zaniac

After 3 strikes, aren't criminals given the death penalty in USA?



Posted by: neil277

Hello.

I feel its a shame these things happen, but i know from England that knife and gun crime is out of control, one of the main cause to crime is drugs and the increase in population.

I know my eyes are allways looking out for Nataly and can i spot a crook a mile away.

I feel most people around the world are good people but the looney tunes need to be locked up and make the crime fit the punishment, all the time the west are soft on crime, theses crimes will always happen.

Regards.

Neil



Posted by: Khashyar

Quote:
Originally Posted by zaniac
After 3 strikes, aren't criminals given the death penalty in USA?


Hi zaniac,

If a person commits a third felony in a state that has a "3 strikes" law, then they can be given a life sentence.

There are only certain crimes that a person can be executed for in the U.S. (mosly murder, and depending on the laws of each state, since some states do not have a death penalty).

Khashyar



Posted by: Khashyar

Quote:
Originally Posted by neil277
Hello.

I feel its a shame these things happen, but i know from England that knife and gun crime is out of control, one of the main cause to crime is drugs and the increase in population.

I know my eyes are allways looking out for Nataly and can i spot a crook a mile away.

I feel most people around the world are good people but the looney tunes need to be locked up and make the crime fit the punishment, all the time the west are soft on crime, theses crimes will always happen.

Regards.

Neil



Yes, I agree, Neil, that drugs fuel a great deal of crime in the U.S. and other countries.

Meth (Speed) is a growing epidemic in the U.S., and has led to a lot of crime here.

I hope that the guy who committed the crimes against the two Russian women really understands what he did, and feels sorry for it.

Perhaps, when he is in prison and hopefully off of drugs (there are drugs available in some prisons), he will tap into his conscience and understand that what he did was wrong, and what changes he needs to make in himself to be a better human being-- a human being that makes others' lives better, rather than causing pain and suffering.

I of course support (and am currently emotionally supporting in any way that I can) the two women who were innocent victims.

I think that every event in life, even one that is painful and unfortunate, can bring us something positive-- perhaps greater wisdom or the chance to look inside ourselves and become a stronger person, or other opportunities for becoming better and happier people ourselves.

Khashyar



Posted by: JamesB

Thats terrible.Please pass on my best wishes



Posted by: Khashyar

Thanks James... I will.

Khashyar



Posted by: Samurai_Bob

What a horrible experence.

I hate to hear that happening to anyone, especially a woman.

Not all states in the USA have the 3 strikes law.

California does, and a convict who gets a third felony offense will get a 25years to life sentence.

The underworld call it "getting the b!tch"; as in the b!tch of a sentence-to have to serve. It has lowered crime in California but the judges want more freedom to sentencing.

Theft from a business will get a felony, even a slice of pizza has cost one convict his freedom.

The guy who did this crime to these ladies well deserves it.



Posted by: Texas Proud

We do not have a three strike rule in Texas... but we do have some of the harshest sentences in the free world... Harris County (Houston and surrounding area)... has more people executed than most other states or countries...

I was on a jury where there was a group of three men who beat up and robbed a young lady... the ringleader did not want to cop a plea... it was so surprising as the evidence against him was a lot..... we gave him 60 years in prison....

BUT, with time off etc. he will be able for parole in 20 years... this is what this guy should get...



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