Alex Foster. Credit: BPD

A 28-year-old Berkeley man who police say stabbed a man twice in the forearm Monday afternoon has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon and criminal threats, according to court records.

The victim, a 42-year-old Berkeley man who was stabbed in the parking lot of the Dollar Tree at 1284 San Pablo Ave., was rushed to Highland Hospital and treated for his wounds.

Alex Misha Foster was arrested Monday and remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail, police said. Bail has been set to $335,000, according to the Alameda County district attorney’s office.

According to court records and police accounts, Foster approached the victim, unprovoked, while he was dumpster diving in the Dollar Tree parking lot around 3:25 p.m. and started a brief physical fight. Foster then walked away and returned with an 8-inch kitchen knife, court records say.

Foster repeatedly lunged toward the victim with the knife while shouting “I am going to kill you!” according to court papers. The victim attempted to back away, but was stabbed twice in his left forearm. As he was leaving, Foster threatened a 73-year-old Berkeley man who witnessed the stabbing, according to the records.

Police arrived at the parking lot minutes after the stabbing and arrested Foster. He had a large kitchen knife tucked into his waistband, according to court records.

He was out on bail at the time of the stabbing.

Foster has two prior felony convictions, one for assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and one for battery. Online records from Alameda County Superior Court list additional past misdemeanor convictions and felony charges. He was last sentenced to probation in December 2021.

No motive for the stabbing was suggested in court records.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the charges against Alex Misha Foster in both headline and text. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, not attempted murder. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.


Featured photo of Berkeley police cruiser: Kelly Sullivan

Ally Markovich, who covers the school beat for Berkeleyside, is a former high school English teacher. Her work has appeared in The Oaklandside, The New York Times, Huffington Post and Washington Post,...