Jack in the Box worker in Winnetka stabbed during night shift

An employee of a Jack in the Box restaurant in Winnetka was stabbed during an altercation outside the eatery early Tuesday but is listed as stable, according to police.

Fellow employees said they were shaken by the news.

“I didn’t expect something like that coming in to work,” said Luis Chable, who arrived for his shift early Tuesday to learn about the attack on his co-worker. He said it got him thinking about how staff members need to be on guard, especially at night. The establishment is open 24 hours.

The employee, who was not identified, was stabbed just after 2 a.m. Tuesday at the fast food restaurant in the 6800 block of De Soto Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The unidentified suspect approached the employee demanding to enter the location and an argument ensued, said LAPD spokesperson Annie Moran. The suspect was denied entry, and at some point, the person stabbed the victim before running from the location.

Chable said the employee is doing OK.

The assailant hasn’t been located, Moran said.

Casey Middleton, a spokesperson for Jack in the Box headquarters in San Diego, called the stabbing a senseless attack.

“We understand the independent franchise organization that operates the restaurant is cooperating with local authorities on this matter,” Middleton said in a statement. “The safety of restaurant guests and workers is a top priority, and we will continue to support our franchisee and the victim as they recover.”