Man Who Stabbed UCLA Student Brianna Kupfer Has Been Arrested

The alleged killer of Brianna Kupfer, a UCLA student who was fatally stabbed last week while working in a luxury furniture store, was identified Tuesday night as Shawn Laval Smith and detained Wednesday in Pasadena, California.

According to a statement from the LAPD, Kupfer was working alone in the store, and the attacker stabbed her before fleeing through the back door. She apparently texted a friend that a man in the store was making her uncomfortable only a few minutes before the deadly attack.

Authorities have said that Smith was seen entering multiple businesses leading up to Kupfer’s stabbing. Kupfer’s bloodied body was later discovered by a customer, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Smith was spotted in several locations around Southern California leading to his arrest, including being spotted at a 7-Eleven right after the killing, which provided authorities with a visual description. Police have stated they believe Smith is homeless and was using public transportation to travel the area while at large.

Brianna Kupfer’s father, Todd Kupfer, told the Los Angeles Times that his daughter’s “candle got snuffed out way too young.”