REVISED – Hollywood Man, Dressed as ‘Freddy Krueger’ Character, Involved in Stabbing

Los Angeles: A man dressed as "Freddy Krueger", the murderous fictional character from horror movies, was involved in a stabbing Saturday night in Hollywood.

On May 20, 2006, around 7:00 p.m., police responded to the 7000 block of Hollywood Boulevard for a reported stabbing. The officers detained 37-year-old Joseph Zacher, of Hollywood, dressed in a Freddy Krueger costume, comprised of a hat, wig, striped sweater and simulated scars. Zacher was wearing a brown leather glove on his right hand. Four of the glove’s fingers had 6-inch knives attached.

Zacher and another 25-year-old man were involved in a pushing match, which resulted in a knive puncturing the victim’s stomach. The victim was treated at Cedar’s Sinai Medical Center and released.

According to witnesses, the 25-year-old was drunk and had been bothering a number of people along the boulevard before he confronted the Freddy Krueger character.

Zacher was booked at Hollywood Police Station on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. He remains in custody at Los Angeles County Jail, pending a court appearance tomorrow.

Detectives presented the case this morning to the District Attorney’s office, which declined to file felony charges. The case will now be considered by the City Attorney’s office for misdemeanor charges.

The Los Angeles Municipal Code, Section 55.10, prohibits any person to wear or carry a knife in plain view in public if the knife is three or more inches long. The section does not apply to persons wearing or carrying a knife for use in a lawful occupation, for lawful recreational purposes, or as a recognized religious practice while the person is traveling to or from the activity.

This release corrected the spelling of the arrestee and the ages of the arrestee and the victim. Questions may be directed to Media Relations Section.