Man Badly Hurt in Stabbing Outside Grocery Store

A nasty stare sparked a violent confrontation in front of a Watsonville grocery store on Tuesday night, police reported.

A man loading groceries into the trunk of his car at Mi Pueblo Food Center got a "hard look" from another man who walked by. The grocery shopper returned the "hard look," Watsonville police said.

The first starer responded by stabbing the grocery shopper with a knife at least twice, cutting his left upper arm and puncturing his chest, police reported.

It happened around 9:47 p.m. in the parking lot of the grocery store, 1437 Freedom Blvd.

Watsonville police have not made any arrests, nor have they given a motive for the attack.

The man with the knife drove off after the attack, fleeing on Freedom Boulevard.

Someone drove the stabbing victim to Watsonville Community Hospital. He was bleeding profusely and police called his injuries "life threatening." He was treated at the hospital, then flown to an out-of-county trauma center where he was listed in stable condition Wednesday morning, police said.

Both the victim and the suspect were in their 20s. Police did not release any other information about their identities. Detectives ask that anyone with information regarding this case contact the Investigations Division at (831) 768-3350 or the Crime Tip Line at (831) 768-3544.