One person is in the hospital after being stabbed in Perry Square on Wednesday morning.
A 35-year-old man is now in the hospital in critical condition with life-threatening injuries after being stabbed on Wednesday morning.
This incident happened around 9 a.m. at Perry Square in downtown Erie.
When Erie City Police responded to the stabbing assault, they found the victim on the west side of the park and immediately started life-saving measures.
“An altercation took place. The victim was stabbed multiple times above the chest and around the neck area, so it’s concerning, but we reacted quickly and were able to apprehend the suspect within a half-hour, 45 minutes,” said City of Erie Deputy Chief of Police Rick Lorah.
The 33-year-old male suspect, whose identity has not been released yet, was arrested shortly after the incident.
He could be facing charges ranging from aggravated assault to attempted homicide.
According to Deputy Chief Lorah, the suspect ran northbound from the park, and after speaking with witnesses, police found the weapon about a block and a half away.
“They did speak with witnesses that saw this individual flee,” said Lorah. “It’s too early in the investigation for us to confirm where these individuals are from, and charges have not been filed yet, but that individual is in custody.”
Lorah said there are several security cameras throughout the area that they will use to investigate.
“The park is heavily camerad, so obviously, we have video of the incident and were able to take a look at still photos and videos from that,” Lorah said.
A large portion of the park was roped off for the morning as police gathered evidence near the Peach Street side.
The fire department could be seen, hosing off the area with water. The park has since been reopened to the public.
Lorah said they have had problems in the park in the past.
“It’s in the park, this is where families and children come to play,” said Deputy Chief Lorah. “We’re working to make sure everyone is safe when they’re downtown, so it’s concerning and it’s something that we’re definitely going to have to take a look at.”
Law enforcement is not releasing the suspect’s identity until he is arraigned, and police continue to investigate.