Man attacked with hatchet in Center City robbery attempt, police say

An attempted murder suspect was taken into custody after he allegedly attacked a man from behind with a hatchet while demanding money from him at a SEPTA station early Sunday morning.

Two SEPTA police officers responded to a SEPTA concourse on 8^th and Market streets at 1:18 a.m. where they were met by a 46-year-old man who said another man attacked him in the concourse near the Broad-Ridge Spur of the subway.

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The victim told police the man struck him six times in the head with a hatchet and kicked him in the face four times. The victim was treated for lacerations to the back of his head and body as well as bruises to the face.

"Preliminary investigations reveal that the victim was walking through the concourse of the 8th/Market station when he was attacked from behind and struck on the head," Philadelphia police said Monday. "Upon turning around, he encountered a male wielding a hatchet who demanded valuables in what appeared to be a robbery attempt. Despite informing the offender that he only had a dollar, the victim was further assaulted."

A passerby then stepped in and was able to "briefly gain control of the hatchet, prompting the offender to retaliate by stomping on the victim's face and making death threats," police said.

The attacker then ran off, investigators said.

After the victim described his attacker, SEPTA police spotted a man who fit the description on the street, investigators said. The suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Kenneth Rogers, was taken into custody. Officials said Rogers had an active warrant from Philadelphia Police for an unrelated attempted murder.

Officials said Rogers wasn’t in possession of a weapon when he was taken into custody and police have not yet found the hatchet.

Rogers remained jailed Monday on aggravated assault, robbery, terroristic threats and other charges, unable to post 10% of $750,000 bail. Online court records didn't name a public defender who could comment on Rogers' behalf.

The incident occurred only a few hours after a 20-year-old man was injured in a shooting on a Broad Street Line train Saturday night.