Mariposa residents on edge as search for sword attack suspect stretches into third day

MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Authorities are searching for a 41-year-old antheral accused of attempting to termination different antheral with a sword, prompting information concerns among residents successful a Mariposa County community.

The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office said deputies are looking for Jonathan Mishael Bays pursuing an alleged onslaught precocious Saturday nighttime astatine the Creekside Terrace Apartments. According to a societal media update from Sheriff Jeremy Briese, Bays was among respective radical wrong an flat wherever "everyone wrong appeared to beryllium utilizing methamphetamine" erstwhile an statement began.

Investigators said Bays allegedly attacked 32-year-old Andrew Cooper with a sword during the confrontation. Deputies aboriginal recovered the unfortunate with aggregate injuries.

"We located the victim, an big antheral with respective wounds from the sword, to the head, neck, enarthrosis and manus area," Briese said.

By the clip deputies arrived, Bays had fled the country connected foot. Officials judge helium whitethorn person headed down an off-road way toward the region jail, but arsenic of 3 days aft the incident, helium had not been located.

Authorities said Bays whitethorn beryllium known by respective different names, including Michael, Mike and Aaron.

"He's a transient retired of the Idaho area, and done different checks we did corroborate determination is an absconding parole warrant for him retired of Idaho," Briese said.

The past confirmed sighting of Bays shows him leaving the flat analyzable wearing a camouflage hat, achromatic overgarment and khaki pants portion inactive carrying the samurai-style sword utilized successful the attack, according to deputies.

Residents successful the country said the hunt has near them feeling uneasy and acrophobic to spell astir their regular routines.

"We felt safe, until now. Now we person idiosyncratic retired determination who's consenting to chop everybody up with a sword," said Nicole Brown, who lives adjacent the flat complex.

Neighbors said they person been keeping ticker connected adjacent hills and the surrounding area, unsure wherever the fishy could beryllium hiding.

"You person a usurpation of parole, that's what we've been seeing connected societal media, wherefore instrumentality it retired connected somebody? You came to our tiny assemblage to bash what? To origin problems, to wounded somebody, astir termination them?" Brown said.

Brown added that galore residents stay anxious arsenic the hunt continues.

"Everybody's conscionable fearing for their life, really. This is our home, and if this feline wants to origin problems similar this, either spell determination other oregon crook yourself in," she said.

The unfortunate was flown to UC Davis Medical Center and was past reported to beryllium successful the surgical intensive attraction unit. His parent has acceptable up a GoFundMe leafage to assistance screen aesculapian and question expenses.

Authorities proceed to impulse anyone with accusation connected Bays' whereabouts to interaction instrumentality enforcement.

Vincent Camarillo: For quality updates, travel Vincent Camarillo connected Instagram.