Extra

Berkeley police arrested 32-year-old Hercules resident Dimitar Popov in connection with a stabbing incident south of the UC Berkeley campus last week. 

Berkeley Police Department Spokesperson Officer Andrew Frankel said the victim was walking home with three friends at 2:38 a.m. Dec. 20 when one of his friends got into an argument with Popov on the southwest corner of Telegraph and Durant avenues. 

As they turned the corner, Popov stabbed the victim with a knife and ran off. The victim and his friends chased Popov south on Telegraph and west on Channing Way until he turned and brandished a knife. Popov then continued walking on Channing where he was stopped by UC police and arrested and charged for assault with a deadly weapon. 

Frankel said the victim, a male adult, was treated for injuries at a hospital and released. He said that it was unlikely that anyone involved in the incident was a UC Berkeley student.  

Frankel said the Alameda County District Attorney's office is investigating the case and will decide whether to prosecute Popov. 

Armed robbery 

A group of five were walking on Parker Street east of Hillegass Avenue at 10:49 p.m. Dec. 18, when they were approached by three suspects who produced a shotgun and demanded their valuables. 

“The suspects asked for their wallets, cellphones, whatever they had on them,” Berkeley Police Department Spokesperson Officer Andrew Frankel said. The victims were four males and one female, he said. 

When one of the victims refused to hand over his possessions and continued walking, the others followed suit. Frankel said the suspects fled at this point. 

Frankel said police are still looking for the three suspects, one of whom he said had been armed with a shotgun. All three were dressed in dark clothing, he said, 

Frankel said that the sudden spat of crime on the southside has subsided since these incidents took place.