On Monday, July 9, 2018 an autopsy was conducted on the suspect who fatally stabbed Cal Poly Pomona Public Safety Specialist Mark Manlapaz, 37, of Victorville.
The stabbing and subsequent officer-involved shooting took place on Friday, June 29, 2018.
Only the victim and suspect received fatal wounds. The suspect was shot by police 25 minutes after the 4:30 p.m. stabbing.
The suspect was described as “acting strange” near the Lyle Center, a different area of campus, and this led to the suspect being identified and shot by officers.
The autopsy determined the suspect to be Rodney Lee Hunter Jr., 27, a Cal Poly Pomona custodian, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Dept Information Bureau update.
Detectives have still not determined the motive behind Hunter’s stabbing of Manlapaz inside the latter’s truck.
The investigation is still ongoing, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500, call “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-8477, download the “P3 Tips” app, or use the website.
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A lot more has been discovered about the victim, Cal Poly Public Safety Officer Mark Manlapaz following the incident.
A vigil was held on Thursday, July 5, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. at Lewis Park to honor Manlapaz, and the City of Claremont honored him in a Facebook post.
.@SAConScene Final Fantasy 7 cosplay at #AX2018 pic.twitter.com/WahG1L06uE
— Guillermo Soza (@gjsoza) July 5, 2018
Manlapaz worked at the university for 16 years and previously studied at the school. He also worked as a senior park ranger with the city for three years.
Those close to him described Manlapaz as a kind and dedicated family man with a gregarious personality.
Claremont city officials described him as a “friendly, helpful, and dedicated figure” at the college and as a park ranger.
Richard Weisner, a ranger who worked with him for years, said, “You were immediately Mark’s friend, and that’s what we loved about Mark.”
Another ranger, John Obert, described him as kind and gentle.
“He was very soft spoken, never raised his voice, [and] could control just about any problem you could possibly think of without getting upset,” Obert said.
