OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Authorities say they will not charge a tourist who killed one of his attackers during a robbery in Oakland, Calif.
The 23-year-old tourist, who was visiting from the East Coast, allegedly was robbed by two men after withdrawing money from an automatic cash machine. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday that the tourist told a friend by cell phone he had a bad feeling about two men approaching him at a BART station.
The newspaper said Victor Veliz, 18, allegedly held a knife with a 5-inch blade to the tourist's neck while Christopher Gonzalez, 18, threatened to shoot him Thursday night.
The victim, whose name wasn't reported, grabbed the knife from Veliz and punched the other man-- all as his friend listened on the phone.
Police said the man unknowingly stabbed Gonzalez, who stumbled to his family's home around the corner and died.
The newspaper said Veliz was arrested at Gonzalez's home after police allegedly found him with the East Coast visitor's cell phone. He will be charged with murder in the death of his accomplice, along with a robbery count, prosecutors said.
The victim was "scared senseless" and suffered cuts in the attack, and won't be charged, said Allison Danzig, an Alameda County deputy district attorney.
When police told the man that Gonzalez had died, "he was very saddened and very upset," Danzig added.
