(Atwater PD Press Release)

On March 24th, 2019 at approx. 2230hrs Atwater Police Officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Kelso Street to conduct a welfare check on a 15-year-old juvenile. This juvenile had Skyped a third party indicating he had been stabbed at a park in Atwater.

While searching for the reporting party, Mercy Hospital in Merced called and said they had a victim and his father in the ER suffering from a stab wound. This person was confirmed to the be the person that the original reporting party was calling about. The victim indicated to police that he had been stabbed and the stabbing occurred inside the skate park at Osborn Park. Officers found a crime scene and conducted an initial investigation. This investigation concluded that the suspect attempted to rob the juvenile and his juvenile friend prior to the stabbing.

Further investigation by Atwater PD officers and detectives led to identification of a suspect in the case. The suspect was identified as being Moffat Teneng, age 21, a resident of Atwater.

On 3-26-19 at approx. 5:30pm, the suspect was spotted by the victim at Veterans Park and called police. Officers responded and took the suspect into custody without incident. Teneng was booked into the Merced County Jail on charges that include attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

Chief Salvador commends the bravery that was shown by the victim in assisting the police department in solving this case.