Man apprehended in Mariposa County after alleged samurai sword attack
The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday morning that it has apprehended Jonathan Mishael Bays, a fugitive who had been wanted for attempted murder.
Bays, 41, is suspected of attacking a man with a samurai-style sword on Saturday at the Creekside Apartments in Mariposa.
Bays used the large sword to strike the victim in the hand, wrist, shoulder and head, according to a Sheriff’s Office Facebook post.
Bays has been on the loose since Saturday. He was tracked down after a coordinated law enforcement operation in which deputies and assisting officers saturated known homeless encampments in Mariposa County.
Drones and helicopters were used in the search.
The post said the investigation into the alleged attack continues.
Authorities did not reveal the alleged victim’s name, but according to a GoFundMe fundraiser, he is 32-year-old Andrew Cooper.
According to the GoFundMe post, made by his mother, Cooper was first airlifted to a hospital in Merced for emergency treatment. Due to the severity of his injuries, including a partially severed arm and hand, he was stabilized and then flown again to UC Davis Health for emergency surgery. He remains in the ICU, the post said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the fundraiser had raised $2,834 raised out of a goal of $17,500.
This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Man apprehended in Mariposa County after alleged samurai sword attack."
