Philadelphia police chase, recapture escaped suspect in Lawncrest

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Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Philadelphia police chase, recapture escaped suspect in Lawncrest
Philadelphia police chase, recapture escaped suspect in Lawncrest. TaRhonda Thomas reports during Action News at Noon on July 24, 2019.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A police takedown happened right in front of an Action News camera in the Lawncrest section of Philadelphia on Wednesday morning.

Police were searching for a suspect in a stabbing that happened in the 6000 block of Colgate Road at about 3:30 a.m.

Investigators say the suspect knocked on the door of a home. When the victim, a 46-year-old man, answered, police say the suspect tried to rob him. There was a struggle, and the victim was stabbed twice.

At last check he was in stable condition in the hospital.

Philadelphia police chase, recapture escaped suspect in Lawncrest. TaRhonda Thomas reports during Action News Mornings on July 24, 2019.

15 minutes later, at approximately 3:45 a.m., police caught up with this suspect. When they attempted to arrest him, he got away even though he was partially handcuffed.

Police say this suspect was armed with a knife and a gun.

The search quickly lead to an apartment complex in the 6000 block of Tabor Avenue.

At about 5a.m., police began yelling and running towards a courtyard in the complex. About a minute later, they emerged with a suspect in handcuffs.

Both officers and the suspect were out of breath. Officers drove the man away in a squad car.

Philadelphia police chase, recapture escaped suspect in Lawncrest. TaRhonda Thomas reports during Action News Mornings on July 24, 2019.

Neighbors who didn't hear the commotion in the early morning hours were surprised to wake up to the news.

"It's a pretty comfortable neighborhood," said Adair Jackson who lives in the complex. "So it's kind of surprising when I hear that someone got stabbed around here."