Brian Lucero, 29, was murdered early Tuesday at 11th Avenue and Broadway, according to police. One suspect, identified as Christian Lee Gulzow, is in custody.
Witnesses told police that the victim had been arguing with a man who "had white 'clown' type makeup with black streaks on his face and a glove with blades at the end of each finger," according to the probable cause statement in the arrest. Witnesses estimated the blades were up to 3 inches long.
Two witnesses said that there were at a corner store at West 10th Avenue and Broadway a little before 1 a.m. when they saw the man in makeup approach the victim.
"The victim attempted to move away from the man, who took swings at the victim with the claw gloves," a police officer said in a sworn statement, summarizing the witnesses' accounts.
The victim eventually walked away, up an alley, while the man in makeup followed, per the witnesses. They heard arguing but did not see what happened next.
A short time later, witnesses saw the man in makeup and the victim outside Torchy's Tacos at 11th and Broadway. The victim collapsed in the parking lot while the suspect departed on a scooter. He was found with a single stab wound to the throat, according to police.
Surveillance footage showed a man whose appearance and actions matched witnesses' descriptions, according to police. It also showed the suspect throwing an object in the bushes. Officers later found a knife covered in blood there; it's unclear if it was a blade from the bladed glove.
Police found the suspect,later identified as Christian Lee Gulzow, 36, at West Alameda Avenue and Lipan Street, roughly 2 miles southwest. He was arrested just before 3 a.m.
The suspected killer was covered in blood and said that he had been threatened by the victim. He said the victim had told him "to get out of my alley" and that the victim had attacked him and took his scooter.
Gulzow said he tackled the victim off the scooter, and that the "victim may have been hurt when he jabbed the claw glove at the victim," or that the victim may have fallen "on one of the suspect's spiked wrist bracelets."
Gulzow is being held on suspicion of first-degree murder. The victim, who hasn't been identified, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Police have not released a booking photo of the suspect. Gulzow previously pleaded guilty in 2014 to a misdemeanor charge of menacing and was convicted of assault in a 2004 domestic-violence case, according to court records.
Gulzow is being held without bond at the Downtown Detention Center.
This is a developing story and will be updated.