BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Court documents obtained by 23ABC detail the moments leading up to the arrest of 23-year-old, Anthony Lewis Jr., believed to be involved in three separate stabbings in the downtown area.
According to court documents, after obtaining several surveillance videos of the suspect, officers prepared to execute a surveillance operation in hopes of catching him.
On April 17, just after 9 p.m., officers donned plain clothes and patrolled the downtown area in an unmarked police car.
The suspect was described as a Black man with a thin build, standing around 5-foot 10-inches to 6-feet tall. He was suspected of attacking homeless woman with a knife while wearing a dark Reebok hoodie, dark pants, and bright green gloves.
According to court documents, an officer reported seeing someone who matched the suspect description cross 19th Street and enter Mill Creek Park. Officers reported that as the observed the person in the park, they noticed a female walk by in the opposite direction. Police reported that after the female passed the person, he immediately turned around and began "walking behind the female at a distance of about 15-20 yards," according to court documents.
Officers reported that at that point the approached the person, identified themselves as police, and with their guns drawn ordered the suspect to get on the ground, according to court documents.
Court documents show the suspect complied and was taken into custody, later being identified at Lewis Jr.
According to the documents, at the time of his arrest officers found green work gloves and an open pocket knife in Lewis Jr.'s sweatshirt pocket. In response, Lewis Jr. told officers he found the sweatshirt with the gloves and knife already inside, according to court documents.
Officers executed two search warrants on Lewis Jr.'s home, where inside they found black latex gloves in the trash, .45 caliber ammo, and a machete among other items.
All three stabbings left transient women with major injuries but police say all three women are expected to survive.
According to police Lewis Jr. does not have a criminal history in Kern County but they do believe he has committed crimes elsewhere.
Lewis was booked on three counts of attempted murder along with several other felony charges. He is currently residing in the Kern County Jail where his bail is set for more than one million dollars.
As of now Lewis is set to appear in Kern County Superior court on June 4 for a preliminary hearing.
