A man nicknamed “Birdman” who welcomes Disneyland visitors to the park with parrots was stabbed during an argument on Sunday evening.
Anaheim police Sgt. Jay Gallacher told CBS Los Angeles of the greeter and his assailant, “They were in some type of argument and the suspect produced a knife and stabbed the victim several times.”
Lt. Eric Trapp of the Anaheim police department told The Hollywood Reporter that the incident happened at a bus stop on the 1500 block of South Harbor Boulevard. When police arrived at the scene, they found a man in his early 50s who had been stabbed multiple times. He was taken to UCI Medical Center and listed in critical condition. Trapp told THR that he is expected to survive.
In the wake of the incident, witnesses contacted the police and were able to keep the assailant in sight while waiting for officers to arrive, according to Trapp. The suspect, Tony Diep, 54, was arrested 100 yards north of the crime scene and has been charged with attempted murder. Both Diep and the victim are homeless.
An Orange County Animal Control officer was called to the scene and took the parrot that was present with “Birdman” at the time of the stabbing. The greeter was not a Disneyland employee.
Disneyland had no comment on the incident.
Aug. 24, 11:35 a.m. Updated with additional comments from the Anaheim police department.
