Tulare Police arrested 50-year-old Willie Calhoun Wednesday night on west Owens and D Street. That's where they say he stabbed 26-year-old Braulio Martinez.
Tulare Police are not saying much about this case. Action News spoke with people who say Calhoun used deadly force to protect his daughter who had just been attacked by her boyfriend.
The seemingly quiet Tulare neighborhood became the focal point of a murder investigation Wednesday night. A neighbor called Tulare police around 8:30 to report a stabbing.
Officers, who were already in the area arrived within seconds and found 26-year-old Braulio Martinez lying in the road with a stab wound to his upper body.
Investigators say 50-year-old Willie Calhoun was still on the scene, holding the knife they say he used to stab Martinez.
Sgt. Richard house with the Tulare Police Department said, "It is very rare that we're so close that by happenstance that not only did we get the call, but when we arrived, the scene was extremely new and we were able to recover the evidence still in possession of the suspect."
Several witnesses claim minutes before the stabbing, Martinez and his girlfriend were walking down the street arguing, and that Martinez started hitting the woman.
Witnesses say that's when the woman's father drove up beside them, got out of the car and stabbed Martinez.
Nancy Avilar said, "Yeah, then her boyfriend was beating her up and after my son came and turned on the light, we could see that he was bloody."
Misty Sanchez said, "I am shocked cause I mean, if it was my child, and I saw my daughter getting beat, I would have done the same thing."
Neighbors say they've never seen Calhoun or Martinez in the area before. And although investigators say the stabbing is an isolated incident, some are concerned about the safety in their area.
"It's scary, especially cause every house here has little kids and you know, we can't even let our kids come outside and play anymore," said Sanchez.
Police are still interviewing several witnesses in the case. This stabbing marks the fifth homicide in Tulare this year.
