By Niki Cervantes
Staff Writer
June 21, 2017 -- Two men were charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon Tuesday following the stabbing at a Santa Monica parking structure of a man reported to be a bodyguard for an alt-right internet figure known by his twitter handle, @BakedAlaska.
Edgar Khodzhasaryan, 30 of Glendale, and Arsen Bekverdyah, 31 of Burbank, were each charged on allegations of “infliction of great bodily injury and personal use of a knife,” said Sarah Ardalani, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
They were arraigned in Division 30 of the Airport Courthouse, she said.
Santa Monica police said the stabbing stemmed from an argument that started at the City’s Parking Structure 8, at 215 Colorado Avenue on Saturday night.
The victim was identified as Antonio Foreman in a tweet by Tim Gionet, well-known in the alt-right online world, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“Antonio "Tony" Foreman is one of my best friends, he's a fellow Trump supporter & an Oathkeeper,” the Tuesday tweet by Baked Alaska said. “Stabbed 9 times & needs prayer. Thank you.”
A spokesperson for the Santa Monica Police Department said the incident did not appear to be political.
“There’s nothing here that would lead us to believe it was targeted or a hate crime or anything like that,” Lt. Saul Rodriguez told the Times.
In a statement, Santa Monica police said officers responded to a radio call at about 11 p.m. for service regarding a stabbing that just occurred.
“A victim was discovered lying on the sidewalk suffering from multiple stab wounds,” the statement said. “The victim was treated at the scene by Santa Monica Fire Department Paramedics and transported to a local hospital for treatment. The victim remains hospitalized in stable condition.”
The victim was trying to exit parking Structure 8 as he drove up behind the suspect vehicle, occupied by two men later charged, at the pay station, a preliminary investigation revealed
“The victim and suspects got into an argument that continued as both vehicles pulled out of the parking structure and allegedly resulted in a minor traffic collision,” police said.
The vehicles continued westbound on Colorado Avenue. As they reached the 100 block of Colorado Avenue, the victim’s vehicle “abruptly stopped in front of the suspect vehicle. The victim and suspects exited their vehicles and confronted each other in the roadway,” police said.
One of the suspects stabbed the victim and a fight ensued during which “the victim (was) stabbed multiple times. The suspects returned to their vehicle and fled the location,” police said.
At about 11:23 p.m., SMPD received a related radio call indicating the possible suspects involved were at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica. Officers responded and took both suspects into custody. The suspect vehicle was found in the Emergency Room parking area.
Khodzhasaryan and Bekverdyan remain in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office on $1 million bail, police said.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call Detective Leone (310) 458 – 8949; Sgt. Sumlin (310) 458-8437 or SMPD (310) 458-8491.
