William Warren Pruitt Jr., 59

William Warren Pruitt Jr., a 59-year-old black man, was fatally stabbed Sunday, Sept. 25, in the 1700 block of South Western Avenue in Harvard Heights, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 6:30 a.m., Pruitt pulled into the parking lot of a Food 4 Less and was walking toward the entrance when he was stabbed in the neck, said Los Angeles Police Lt. John Radtke. 

Two women, believed to be the attacker's mother and sister, tried to help Pruitt, Radtke said. The attacker left the scene with his father; then the two came back. 

Police identified Ed Camarena, a 21-year-old Latino, as the suspect in the stabbing. Camarena was with his family and had arrived in the parking lot before they planned to go to church, Radtke said.

Camarena told police that Pruitt “mad-dogged” him, but security footage shows an unprovoked attack, Radtke said.

Pruitt was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:58 a.m., according to coroner’s records.

Camarena was charged Sept. 27 with one count of murder and is due back in court Dec. 7, according to court records and the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Anyone with information is asked to call West Bureau homicide at (213) 382-9470. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.