In the early morning hours on a Philadelphia street, a SEPTA bus was disrupted by violence when a passenger attacked another rider with a meat cleaver. The incident happened around 2:30 a.m. yesterday on a bus traveling along North Broad Street in the Spring Garden area, according to a report by 6ABC.
The situation escalated, prompting the bus driver to stop in front of the Philadelphia Police Headquarters for help. An unidentified passenger informed an officer about the urgent situation inside the bus. "According to individuals on the bus, the individual with the meat cleaver started chanting -- saying some things, possibly had some mental health issues," Chief Inspector Scott Small told 6ABC.
Authorities reported that the assailant, a 45-year-old man, used a cleaver to injure the victim's head and hand. The victim, also 45, was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition. The attacker was arrested and is expected to face charges of aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime, according to PennLive.
At the time of the attack, the bus had about six to eight passengers, many of whom witnessed the incident, according to Chief Inspector Scott Small. Blood was seen on the bus floor and seats. The bus's internal surveillance system also recorded the violent act as it occurred, as per NBC Philadelphia.
The suspect's motives are unclear, as he was reportedly making incoherent remarks before the attack. Neither the suspect nor the victim has been named, and the investigation is ongoing.
