VENTURA, Calif. — A California man eating at a steakhouse with his daughter on his lap was stabbed to death Wednesday when a homeless man allegedly walked up and attacked him, CNN reported.
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Anthony Mele Jr. 35, died Thursday, but his 5-year-old daughter was not hurt, the Ventura Police Department said.
Mele was dining at the Aloha Steakhouse, a beachside restaurant in Ventura, CNN reported. He was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery but was removed from life support Thursday, police said.
Jamal Jackson, 49, was arrested shortly after the attack and was charged with premeditated first-degree murder, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. Jackson was arrested after a group of people chased him to the beach, CNN reported. If convicted, he faces up to 55 years in prison.
Several hours before the attack, 911 dispatchers received a call to report Jackson for disruptive behavior on a beachfront location in Ventura, police said. After monitoring him on camera for 20 minutes, Jackson walked out of the camera's view and police determined Jackson was not a threat, police said in a statement.
Mele’s father said his son was kissing his daughter when he was attacked.
"We need to feel free to walk upon the streets, to go out to dinner and not be assaulted, stabbed, killed," Anthony Mele Sr. told VC Star.
A GoFundMe page for the family has raised more than $76,000.