An 18-year-old was rushed to a Worcester trauma center with life-threatening injuries after being stabbed on Hayward Street in Milford Sunday evening, and a 19-year-old man was arrested at the scene within minutes with blood visible on his arms and legs. Edwyn Sanchez now faces five criminal charges, including assault to murder, and remains held without bail as investigators continue piecing together what led to the attack.
Emergency 911 calls reporting the stabbing began arriving around 6:24 p.m., according to WHDH 7News, and one caller told dispatchers they were already driving the victim to the hospital in a private vehicle rather than waiting for an ambulance. Officers responded to Hayward Street after the calls came in, according to NBC Boston, and located Sanchez at the scene, where police reported seeing blood on his arms and legs as well as multiple blood stains on the pavement.
Sanchez was arrested around 6:56 p.m. and taken to Milford Police Department headquarters for booking, per the outlet's reporting. Milford detectives and Massachusetts State Police processed the scene and continued the investigation into the incident. The victim's condition following emergency treatment has not been made public, and the relationship between Sanchez and the victim remains unclear.
Airlifted to Central Massachusetts' Only Level 1 Trauma Center
Given the severity of the injuries, the 18-year-old was airlifted via LifeFlight helicopter to UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester rather than transported by ground, the station reported. UMass Memorial Medical Center's University Campus houses the Duddie Massad Emergency and Trauma Center, which operates as the only designated Level 1 Trauma Center for adults in Central Massachusetts, according to UMass Memorial Health. Level 1 designation means the facility maintains 24/7 specialized surgical trauma teams and advanced critical care resources.
It is not the first time a Milford stabbing victim has required emergency air transport to Worcester. Hoodline reported in September 2024 that another stabbing victim in town needed a similar LifeFlight evacuation following an early morning assault, and the report documented another helicopter transport from Milford to UMass Memorial.
Street Closed for Hours as Police Assured Residents of No Ongoing Threat
Hayward Street remained closed for several hours Sunday night as detectives worked the scene. Police reported a large presence and no danger to the public.
Sanchez faces charges of assault to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, disturbing the peace, and disorderly conduct, the station's report states. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265, Section 18(b), armed assault with intent to murder is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in state prison, according to legal records published by FindLaw. Sanchez remains in custody as a suspect without bail, and the investigation remains ongoing.
A Pattern of Recent Violent Incidents in Town
The stabbing adds to a string of violent incidents Milford has grappled with in recent years. A fatal stabbing left one man dead and a woman critically wounded in 2024, and Milford police also charged a Whitinsville man after a violent bat attack in November 2025. That same October, police defused a standoff that ended in an assault charge against a separate suspect.
The available reports do not establish how common severe violent crime is in Milford. The investigation into Sunday's stabbing remains ongoing, and open questions about the victim's current medical status and the motive behind the confrontation are still unresolved as Sanchez remains in custody.
