Photo: Ohlone Park
BERKELEY — An angry artist was arrested on suspicion of slashing a woman with a machete on Saturday afternoon close to a children’s playground. Incredibly, this isn’t the first time the same man got himself in trouble for having such a deadly weapon.
In the latest incident, on August 11 shortly before 3 p.m., police received a report that a woman was stabbed at Ohlone Park. It happened near the intersection of Hearst Avenue and Bonita Street.
The victim explained to police that she became uncomfortable with a man lingering. When he walked straight up to her, she told that man to move along, which according to the victim angered him.
After the woman’s rebuff, the man began yelling at her. Moments later he started swinging a machete. The victim sustained wounds in one of her legs during the attack. She received first aid treatment at the park when police arrived.
Although her attacker fled from the area, she provided officers with a detailed description of the suspect. Based on her description, police recognized him as someone they know from their prior contacts with him.
Police went to the suspect’s residence on Delaware Street two blocks away. Police surrounded an apartment building. Family members allowed officers inside, where officers took the suspect into custody without further incident.
Emmanuel K. Hall, a 34-year-old resident of Berkeley, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, exhibiting a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed dagger, and making threats of violence. Hall remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $30,000 bond.
The suspect apparently carries around a lethal weapon regularly. His history includes an arrest on similar charges in May 2018 and in April 2017. In addition, he had two years of supervised probation following another incident with a dagger in May.
