Fresno County prosecutor stabbed at Courthouse Park, deputies say; suspect detained

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• A Fresno County employee was stabbed Thursday afternoon at Courthouse Park.
• Deputies found the victim conscious before EMS took him to a hospital.
• Deputies detained a suspect after using a taser near Fresno and Van Ness.

A Fresno County senior deputy district attorney was stabbed on Thursday afternoon in downtown Fresno’s Courthouse Park in what District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp called a “brazen” attack.

Deputies responded from the courthouse at 1:16 p.m. and found the prosecutor suffering a stab wound.

Fresno County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tony Botti said the victim was conscious, breathing and talking when emergency medical personnel took him to Community Regional Medical Center, where he is being treated.

His name is not being released out of respect for the victim and his family, Smittcamp said.

“There is no place in our community for violence against those who serve it. Our prosecutors come to work every day committed to pursuing justice, standing up for victims and protecting our community,” Smittcamp said in a statement. “They should be able to do their jobs without fear of violence.”

The suspect — later identified as Dustin Crawford, 42, of Fresno — was taken into custody near Fresno Street and Van Ness Avenue. Botti said deputies had to deploy a taser to take him into custody.

Smittcamp said the Sheriff’s Office and the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium are investigating the incident and trying to determine the motive.

“We are grateful to the Fresno County sheriff’s deputies who responded so quickly, apprehending the suspect and provided assistance as well as medical personnel caring for our colleague,” she said.

This story was originally published August 20, 2026 at 3:19 PM.