Shirtless man was told to leave SLO business. Then he pulled a knife, police say
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- Police arrested Dominic Charkhian after a reported assault and robbery Friday.
- Charkhian allegedly threatened a business employee with a knife and stole a phone.
- Charges include felony assault, robbery, criminal threats and probation violation.
An Oceano man was arrested Friday after allegedly pulling a knife on and threatening to kill an employee of a downtown San Luis Obispo business after he was asked to leave the establishment.
According to a San Luis Obispo Police Department news release Monday, officers were dispatched around 10:24 p.m. for a reported assault and robbery at a business in the 500 block of Higuera Street.
According to the release, an employee first saw a male laying shirtless across a table in the hallway of the business. When he was told to leave, the male — later identified as 26-year-old Dominic Charkhian — briefly left but was later found by the same employee in the restroom charging his phone.
Police said an argument began after the employee once again told Charkhian to leave. The employee also pulled out his own cell phone and began to film Charkhian during the argument, saying he was going to call the police, the release said.
Charkhian then “knocked the phone out of the employees’ hand, pulled out a knife and threatened to kill him,” the release said.
According to the release, the employee then put a plastic trash can between the two as Charkhian continued to threaten him with a knife. Charkhian eventually fled the restroom, taking the employee’s phone with him, according to police.
The employee later found the phone broken in a nearby parking lot, the release said.
According to the release, officers identified Charkhian through video from nearby businesses.
On Saturday, Charkhian was spotted by a police officer who was driving on Santa Rosa Street near Santa Rosa Park. He was located soon after in the parking lot of the park and arrested without incident, according to the release.
Charkhian was booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail on suspicion of felony charges of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats and preventing a victim from calling law enforcement. He also faces potential charges of misdemeanor vandalism and probation violation, according to the release.
Charkhian was being held in custody without bail, the release said.
This story was originally published May 19, 2025 at 6:58 PM.
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