A heavily armed man carrying an AR-15 and 200 rounds of ammunition was arrested in Canoga Park after what authorities describe as a “totally random” incident, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Shayne Suffern, the suspect, faces two counts of attempted murder, according to LAPD Sgt. Stewart. There is no known relationship between Suffern and the victims, Stewart added.
Officers responded to reports of a possible shooting or stabbing in the area at around 12:30 p.m near a Canoga Park Cheesecake Factory, said LAPD.
When officers arrived at the restaurant, they found a woman in the bathroom with stab injuries to her shoulder.
Police initially said the incident began as a child custody issue and then escalated into violence. The man fired several rounds from an AR 15-style rifle at the victim but missed.
The woman ran away but returned to get her 2-year-old daughter from a stroller. When she returned for her child, the man stabbed the woman in the shoulder.
“We got lucky this was not a mass shooting,” said Sgt. Stewart, noting that Suffern had 13 fully loaded 40-round magazines for the AR-15 in his possession at the time of the arrest.
Police said Suffern had “notes, writings, manifesto-style writings,” but none referenced a specific incident. The notes found did, however, reference hatred toward women and children.
Detectives are still actively investigating.
Customers eating lunch described a chaotic scene when the injured woman ran into the restaurant carrying a child and pleading for help.
“We were sitting and eating and a lady came in, with a kid in her arms,” said witness Gabi. “She was screaming, ‘Lock the doors, lock the doors,’ and then we heard she was either stabbed or she was shot with a semiautomatic.
“People that were inside the restaurant got up from their tables and left. The waiters were coming with their food and everybody left. They were gone. Everybody was frightened.”
The woman was taken to the hospital and is believed to be in stable condition. Her daughter was not injured in the incident.
According to police, the AR 15-style rifle was not California compliant and had high-capacity magazines that were also not legal in California.
The LAPD said Suffern had a prior case involving the negligent discharge of a firearm in public. According to LA Superior Court records, he faced charges in February 2023 of willful discharge of a firearm and possession of an assault weapon
In October 2024 he was sentenced to two years of mental health diversion, with a condition prohibiting him from owning or possessing any dangerous or deadly weapons. He previously had a hearing for this case scheduled in January 2026.
Authorities confirmed the incident is not related to any other known cases, including the recent disappearance of a 7-month-old baby in Yucaipa.