Police said the woman was attacked during lunch and is expected to recover.
DECATUR, Ga. — A 22-year-old Lithonia man has been charged after police said a woman was stabbed in the back Tuesday while eating lunch outside a Decatur restaurant.
DeKalb County police identified the suspect as Walter Scrutchings and said he was arrested after the attack near First Watch in the 2500 block of Blackmon Drive. The woman was taken to a hospital, and authorities said she is expected to recover.
The stabbing happened around 12:40 p.m. Tuesday, police said. Investigators said the woman was eating when a man walked up and stabbed her once in the back with a knife. After she was wounded, she went to a nearby business to seek help and call for emergency responders.
Police charged Scrutchings with aggravated assault. Authorities have not said what led up to the attack, whether the woman and Scrutchings knew each other or whether the incident was random. Investigators also have not released the woman’s name or additional details about her condition.
The attack drew concern from people who live, shop and eat in the area. Topher Payne, a customer who said he likes the restaurant, called the stabbing shocking. Charlie Cote, a local resident, said Decatur is usually seen as a safe and walkable community.
First Watch sits in a busy commercial area where lunch crowds are common. Police said the victim’s move to a neighboring business helped bring officers and medical crews to the scene after the stabbing.
The case now moves through the DeKalb County criminal process. Scrutchings remained accused, not convicted, as police continued to review what happened before the stabbing and whether any relationship or motive existed.
Author note: Last updated May 21, 2026.