Homeless man defends doughnut shop owner from thieves, L.A. cops say. One stabs him

When a Los Angeles-area doughnut shop owner came under attack by two thieves early Monday, a nearby homeless man sprang to his defense, KNBC reports.

But one of the thieves stabbed the 43-year-old man in the chest and head during the 3:45 a.m. ruckus, La Habra police reported on Facebook. He was hospitalized in stable condition.

The homeless man often helps the Donuts & Deli Shop owner with “breaking up boxes and sorting trash” at the West La Habra Boulevard business, said Servando Ruiz, a friend, KTLA reported.

“To see that someone’s going to shed blood just to stand up for what’s right — I’m very proud of him for that,” Ruiz said, according to the station.

The incident began when the owner accused two people of stealing a tip jar and can of iced tea from the shop, KNBC reported. The homeless man tried to stop the pair as they fled the store, but he was stabbed in the tussle.

Police later found the two on South Hazel Street and arrested them on suspicion of attempted homicide and robbery, officers wrote on Facebook. Their names have not been released.

Officers said the homeless man’s wounds did not appear to be life-threatening, The Orange County Register reported.