Victim, Suspect Identified in Thursday's Boardwalk Stabbing

The man who was fatally stabbed on the Venice boardwalk Thursday evening and his suspected attacker were identified Friday by authorities.

The victim has been identified as Kevin Francis Hirtle and his family on the East Coast has been notified of his death, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office said.

Hirtle was stabbed multiple times about 6 p.m. at Westminster Avenue and Ocean Front Walk. He was pronounced dead at Marina Hospital about 30 minutes after the incident, the coroner's office said.

Suspect Billy Young, 23, was quickly caught several blocks away from the stabbing by patrol officers who had listened to the crime broadcast, the Los Angeles Police Department said Friday in a statement. Young had a knife on him and blood on his clothes when he was arrested about 10 minutes after the stabbing was reported, police said.

Upon his arrest, Young referred to the victim as his "road dog," indicating that they had traveled together, said police Sgt. Vasquez. Authorities said Young and Hirtle, both transients, had been arguing before the stabbing occurred.

Hirtle had several addresses including in the 900 block of Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica and in the 400 block of Vermont Avenue downtown, according to the coroner's office.

Young has been booked on investigation of murder and was being held in jail in lieu of $1 million bail. No information on when Young would be arraigned in court was immediately available.