An early-morning stabbing in North Berkeley sent one man to the hospital over the weekend, but he is expected to survive, authorities report.
Just after 5:20 a.m. Saturday, he and another man got into an argument in front of Safeway at 1400 Shattuck Ave., said Lt. Peter Hong of the Berkeley Police department.
“The argument escalated into a mutual fight,” Hong said. “Then one stabbed the other with a knife.”
The victim was able to call 911 while the other man fled. When police caught up with the assailant, he still had the knife from the attack with him, Hong said.
Authorities arrested him on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and a probation violation. BPD identified him as 44-year-old homeless man Matthew Paul Piraino.
The victim, also listed as homeless, is a 43-year-old from Pennsylvania, police said.
Hong said the two men are neither strangers nor acquaintances because they both frequent the same general area.
According to online jail records, Piraino is set for arraignment Wednesday morning at Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland. He is being held on $30,000 bail.
