Man is charged in knife attack

Donald Offerman, 54, is accused of slashing a Russian tourist in Hollywood.

A homeless man was charged Friday with slashing a Russian tourist and swinging a knife at his family outside a popular Hollywood shopping center earlier this week, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors charged Donald Offerman, 54, with one count of attempted murder and four counts of assault with a deadly weapon in connection with Wednesday’s attack, the district attorney’s office said.

The victim and his family were walking up a flight of stairs at Hollywood & Highland, the shopping and entertainment complex, when Offerman approached the group from behind and slashed the victim with the knife, prosecutors said.

“Offerman then rushed toward the victim’s family and allegedly swung the knife at them multiple times,” the district attorney’s office said in a statement. “A struggle ensued between Offerman and the victim, who was cut again by the knife, as the man’s family ran away.”

Two New York police detectives who were standing nearby saw the attack and detained Offerman at gunpoint, police and prosecutors said. The detectives, the LAPD said, were visiting L.A. on “official business” for their police department.

The victim was taken to a hospital.

An attorney representing the family, who were visiting L.A. from Moscow, said her clients were grateful for the police response and Offerman’s arrest. But, attorney Inna Demin said, the attack “should have been avoided.”

“This brazen attack demonstrates Hollywood must be made safer through a community response,” Demin said in a statement. “City officials and business owners should work together to prevent future incidents and ensure the public is safe when visiting the heart of Los Angeles.”

Offerman was scheduled to be arraigned Friday. If convicted, prosecutors said, he could face up to life in state prison.