The suspect in a brazen courthouse stabbing has been identified as a man with a prior prison sentence allegedly seeking revenge against the prosecutor who helped put him away.
Dustin Crawford, 42, of Fresno, allegedly attacked a senior deputy district attorney Thursday afternoon in Courthouse Park, just steps from the Fresno County Courthouse in downtown Fresno. The incident occurred around 1 p.m. As the prosecutor and others were filming a campaign commercial near the Law Enforcement Memorial, according to Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp.
Crawford approached the group and stated he recognized them, Smittcamp said. He then allegedly singled out his victim and stabbed him three times in the back. The prosecutor was rushed to the hospital for treatment and was later released.
Fresno County sheriff’s deputies captured Crawford a couple of blocks away at the intersection of Fresno Street and Van Ness Boulevard. Deputies used a Taser to take him into custody and recovered a weapon from him. Crawford was taken to a hospital to be checked out before being booked into Fresno County Jail.
Crawford faces charges of attempted murder and attempted murder of a public official. His bail has been set at $1 million. Authorities noted that he has a lengthy criminal history, including time served in state prison.
Smittcamp issued a statement following the attack. “We are outraged and deeply saddened by the brazen stabbing of one of our Senior Deputy District Attorneys this afternoon in Courthouse Park,” she wrote. “There is no place in our community for violence against those who serve it.”
The Sheriff’s Office and MAGEC are actively investigating the incident and working to determine additional details about the motive. The victim’s identity has not been released out of respect for him and his family.
In the viral moment that prompted widespread attention, a local prosecutor was ambushed in broad daylight while participating in what should have been a routine campaign shoot in a public park. The attack’s shocking proximity to the seat of county justice — and its alleged connection to an old case — underscored the dangers faced by public officials in their own community.
The brazen nature of the assault, carried out in the middle of the day with multiple witnesses present, drew swift condemnation from law enforcement and elected officials across the region. The case has also renewed conversations about security for prosecutors and courthouse personnel in Fresno County.
Crawford remains in custody at the Fresno County Jail as the investigation continues.