Man arrested after chasing another man in Garrison Park with a knife

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - People celebrated Easter Sunday with their families and friends, but last week, Garrison Park in south Austin was a completely different scene.

Josh Arredondo has lived in south Austin for years and for Easter he decided to continue tradition and brought his friends and family out to Garrison Park to celebrate.

"For the last six years in a row just doing Easter Sunday,” Arredondo said.

He says he grew up going to the park and says he's only known the area to be safe.

However, Sunday's celebrations were very different from the scene that took place last week.

On Tuesday April 16, officers say they responded to a call around 3 p.m. about a man chasing another man with a knife.

"I did know about that and those things are kind of just alarming but for the most part I think it is a safe park,” Arredondo said. “It is something that makes us more aware something that makes us a little more aware of what's going on in our surroundings. I don't want to say it just happens.”
     
When Austin police arrived, the victim told them he had received a text from his girlfriend about a man touching her inappropriately. The victim told police when he arrived he confronted the man and told him to leave the park. 

However moments later, police say the suspect, identified as 53-year-old Robert Lopez, took out a knife and chased the victim. Police say the victim got away unharmed and they found Lopez with a knife on him hours later and arrested him.

Lopez was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and his bond was set at $30,000. He has since been released.

Arredondo says situations like this should be a reminder. 

"It's a community effort when things like that happen we do need to come together we do need to help one another out,” Arredondo said. "If you see something say something."