Yielding a sharp object, a man said "you don't know anything" before slashing a young woman in the head during a daylight attack near Philadelphia's popular Schuylkill River Trail, police said.
The assault happened just before 3 p.m. Thursday on the steps leading down to the riverfront trail at Walnut Street in Center City, police said.
The attacker was following the 24-year-old woman along the trail and when she started climbing the steps, he came up to her, made the statement and slashed her in the forehead, according to police.
She was left with a 3 inch cut. Paramedics took her to nearby Penn Presbyterian Trauma Center where she was last listed in stable condition, police said.
The attack appears to be random. A description of the suspect was not immediately available.
Safety on the trail, which is a very popular recreation spot in growing Center City, has been a concern for months.
Robberies, gropings and men exposing themsleves to runners and walkers has plagued the Philadelphia section of the 60 mile long trail A community watch was being formed after criminal activity spiked last year.
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Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, whose district the trail falls into, is helping to form the trail watch. He said the program should have people on the trail this month.
"This incident is another painful reminder that we must immediately step up efforts to make the trail safe," he wrote in a statement. "We will also advocate for additional police officers to patrol during all hours of the day."
