Suspect in daytime assault at Palo Alto CVS arrested

( KRON ) — A suspect in a daytime assault that began outside a CVS store in downtown Palo Alto Monday has been arrested. The Palo Alto Police Department got a call around 3:20 p.m. Monday reporting two men fighting on the 300 block of University Avenue.

Officers responded and made contact with a man who had injuries to his face. The man reported that another man had attacked him during a robbery. Officers located the suspect a short while later near the Downtown Transit Center and detained him near the intersection of El Camino Real and Quarry Road.

According to police, an investigation revealed that at around 3:15 p.m., the victim, a man in his 30s, was standing outside CVS at 352 University Avenue when the suspect approached him. The suspect demanded the victim’s money and mobile phone, which the victim refused to hand over.

The suspect then, according to police, took the victim’s hat from his head and ran into CVS. The victim followed in an attempt to retrieve his hat. When the victim caught up to the suspect, he was punched and kicked several times in the face, police said.

The victim tried to fight off the suspect who then pulled a knife from a sheath on the victim’s belt and attempted to slash him with it. The victim was able to back away and the suspect took off toward University, police said.

The victim sustained minor injuries and was treated on scene. The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Cesar Pineda of San Jose, was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

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