A man is facing assault charges after attacking three people in Pacific Palisades, including a magician performing at a child's birthday party in Rustic Canyon Park.
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Richard Ribuffo, known as California Joe the Explorer Magician, told KNX News' Karen Adams he heard the man, later identified as Brian Stennett, yelling from a distance.
"He kept yelling, 'turn off the voices, turn off the voices,'" Ribuffo said,
"which I assume, you know, maybe it may have schizophrenia or something, and hearing my voice echo around the park over my speaker system maybe triggered something."
A short time later, Ribuffo saw something out of the corner of his eye, heard a parent yell, 'Who's that guy?' and the next thing he knew, he was being assaulted.
"I turned around, and his fist was already coming, and he clocked me right in the forehead," he said.
The parents grabbed their kids, and a group of dads chased Stennett down until police arrived and arrested him.
Ribuffo immediately sensed Stennett was either mentally ill or on drugs and knew engaging with him would not be wise.
"I would love to see him get the help he needs, but I no, that's not the society in which we live. It's safer for him and safer for us if he just goes to jail," Ribuffo said.
Police say before sucker punching California Joe, Stennett attacked two others, one a man in his eighties who was beaten up badly but is ok.
Stinnett remains in jail.
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