Woman injured after being attacked on Schuylkill River Trail in Center City; suspect in custody
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A woman was injured after being attacked along the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia Friday morning.
It happened on the trail in Center City, not far from South Street, according to authorities.
Police were called around 9:15 a.m. after a woman reported she was beaten and robbed.
According to police, the woman was on the trail taking pictures for an art project, when a man approached her and tried to snatch her cell phone.
She was then reportedly thrown to the ground and beaten. The man allegedly threw her phone into the river and ran off.
The woman was transported to Jefferson University Hospital for her injuries. There is no word yet on her condition.
"It's very upsetting. I'm sorry to hear that," said Roger Cast, who uses the trail several times a week. "I've always thought it to be pretty safe."
"Hopefully it was just a freak thing," said Kelly Dougherty, who was running the trail on Friday. "You never want to let your guard down, especially if you are by yourself."
Police say they were able to track down the suspect on the other side of the river a short time after the attack.
According to investigators, the suspect had a pocket knife on him when he was confronted by police.
He was tased, arrested, and now faces several charges.
This incident comes after several other seemingly random attacks around the city.
On Thursday, a 61-year-old was slashed with a meat cleaver while on a SEPTA bus in Spring Garden.
In another incident, police released a video of a brutal attack, where suspects robbed and beat a man on the ground along the 1500 block of JFK Boulevard.
Action News spoke with city residents who said they take extra precautions, knowing incidents like these are not uncommon.
"You never want to let your guard down. Especially if you are by yourself, on this trail, and you have your headphones in like I do a lot of the time. It's an important reminder not to keep your music too loud, and you're always looking over your shoulder," commented Kelly Dougherty from Fitler Square.
