Azusa Target baseball bat attack: Manuel Banuelos of Pasadena, California charged with murder after attacking Anaheim man after store skirmish minutes earlier.
A man in his 30’s was beaten to death with a baseball bat in a commercial district in Azusa, California, Wednesday. Manuel Banuelos, 23 of Pasadena was arrested shortly after fleeing the area.
Officers were sent to the 800 block of North Azusa Avenue, between West Ninth Street and West Foothill Boulevard, about 2:15 p.m. regarding a man being beaten with a baseball bat, according to Lt. Robert Chivas of the Azusa Police Department.
An unresponsive man was found at the scene bleeding from his head, Chivas said. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
The incident is alleged to have taken in front of hundreds of horrified onlookers at the base of escalators leading up to the Azusa Target store.
NBC Los Angeles reported the victim, a man in his 30’s from Anaheim and the suspect were both inside the Target at the same time. But when the victim came downstairs, Banuelos was alleged to be waiting with bat in hand where he proceeded to immediately start swinging as the shopper made it to the base of the elevators.
Banuelos was arrested for suspicion of murder and is being held without bail.
