Surveillance cameras captured a vicious attack on a woman at a Kensington Market-Frankford Line stop early Saturday morning, and police are asking the public's help to track down the assailant.
The video shows the victim, a 30-year-old woman, walk into the elevator at the Huntingdon stop, on Kensington Avenue near Huntingdon Street, just after 1:30 a.m. Saturday. She holds the door for a man behind her and he joins her in the elevator.
The two stand in the elevator for several seconds and exchange words, and the man approaches the woman, cornering her in the elevator and pulling out a knife. He begins to attack the woman, at one point holding the knife pointed down toward her face and chest, as she struggles to escape.
Police said the man demanded money from the woman as he attacked her and rifled through her pockets. [[370684011, C]]
When the elevator doors finally opened, police said, the woman crawled out of the elevator screaming for help. Her attacker fled on foot. In the video, as the victim falls to the ground struggling with the man, she drops her purse, but he doesn't pick it up.
Police said the woman suffered several puncture wounds and was taken to a local hospital, where she was listed in stable condition.
Her attacker is described as a man about 36 to 38 years old who is roughly 5 feet 8 and has a medium build and a light beard. He wore a dark jacket, dark pants, a gray skull cap and a gray hooded sweatshirt.
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Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call East Detectives at 215-686-3243 or 3244. Police warned that the man is armed and dangerous and that if someone spots him, they should not approach him and should call 9-1-1 immediately.
