The Man Was Taken Into Custody After a Foot Pursuit
On July 3, defendant Gunnar Zausniewski, 37, was convicted of Attempted Murder, Mayhem, and Assault with a Deadly Weapon for a crime committed in August of 2020. On July 28, Zausniewski was sentenced to 12 years in state prison.
On August 6, 2020, at about 9:00 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call of a homeless subject brandishing a large knife in Reed Park. The officers arrived at the park just in time to see the subject stab someone who had been sleeping on the ground before running away. After a short foot pursuit, the subject (Zausniewski) was taken into custody. The victim of the attack, a 29-year-old male experiencing homelessness, was grievously injured by a stab wound to his abdomen. The victim was transported to a local hospital and survived his injuries.
“The apprehension and conviction of this individual was the result of the excellent work of patrol officers who not only caught the suspect but also rendered aid to the victim.” SMPD said in a release. “The SMPD is also proud of all its detectives in the Criminal Investigation Division who made certain a dangerous criminal has been taken off the streets.”
