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Fremont liquor store surveillance video shows machete attack
KTVU has obtained surveillance video of a brawl inside a liquor store where at least one of the suspects had a machete and the others had knives. It happened Sunday night at CJ’s Liquor and Wine in Fremont.
FREMONT, Calif. - KTVU has obtained surveillance video of a brawl inside a liquor store where at least one of the suspects had a machete and the others had knives. It happened Sunday night at CJ’s Liquor and Wine in Fremont.
Police said two victims were hurt, still in the hospital and are expected to survive.
Surveillance video from inside CJ’s Liquor and Wine in Fremont shows a customer on his phone walking in to buy ice cream Sunday before 10:30 p.m.
Another man follows him, picks up an item and joins him at the cash register.
The video shows two other customers come in filling up jugs of water. All is quiet until moments later a group enters led by a man armed with a machete.
He walks straight to the customers at the register and starts swinging at the man on the phone.
Then, two more people come in and an all fight breaks out with eight people total. Punches are thrown. The men are holding knives.
The encounter lasts 40 seconds and ends with the men walking out. The owner of the liquor store said the victims are his customers.
"These are my customers," said CJ’s Wine & Liquor Owner Jaswant Kang. "They come in here all the time. They are very nice. I don’t know why they have a problem with other people."
The owner’s wife was behind the counter. She is seen in the video clutching her chest.
One of the witnesses ran to the gas station and called 911. He said police came right away and arrested the four suspects who came into the store.
Police are not revealing the motive behind the attack other than the two parties knew each other. Police also said it was targeted and not gang related.
"This store has been here forever and for someone to come in here with a machete, it’s absolutely crazy," said Customer Matthew Kathain.
One of the suspects has been identified as 27-year-old Diadem Velcu of Fremont. He’s been arrested for attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit a crime. He’s being held without bail. Another suspect is in the hospital and two are juveniles.
Azenith Smith is a reporter for KTVU. Email Azenith at azenith.smith@fox.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @AzenithKTVU or Facebook or ktvu.com.