A man was fatally stabbed Wednesday while eating at a downtown restaurant by an apparently homeless man who escaped on foot, according to Los Angeles police.

The stabbing took place at Margarita's Place, a Mexican restaurant located at 103 E. Seventh St. around 8:35 a.m., the Los Angeles Police Department reported.

The two men were eating at the counter when an argument erupted between them, police said. One man used a knife he apparently carried with him to stab the second man who was described as a Hispanic man in his 40s, police said.

The victim was taken to a hospital where he later died. His name was withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The attacker's description was not immediately released by police, but police said that the attacker was possibly transient or homeless. The restaurant manager said the man with the knife had previously visited the restaurant without incident.

Police hope that surveillance footage captured the killer's image, the LAPD said.