A man killed a woman in north Philadelphia on Wednesday, repeatedly stabbing her and even chasing her outside the home at one point in an attack that also critically injured a teenager and was witnessed by other children, police said.
The 35-year-old woman was found with stab wounds to her stomach and chest after the attack shortly before 3:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Fern Rock neighbourhood, police said. She was pronounced dead minutes later at Albert Einstein Medial Centre.
A 14-year-old boy found inside the home with a stab wound to his right thigh was taken by police to the hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, police said.
WPVI-TV reported, citing police, that six children ranging in age from eight to 16 were in the home at the time of the Christmas morning attack.
Chief Inspector Scott Small told the station there were signs of a violent fight inside, with large amounts of blood, broken glass and overturned furniture.
A preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect was drinking heavily at a family party and allegedly started arguing and fighting with other guests, police said.
Eventually, the police spokeswoman said, he “turned his rage” upon his girlfriend and her son, taking a knife from the kitchen and stabbing the 14-year-old when the teenager tried to disarm him and stabbing the woman and chasing her outside, where she was found.
The 33-year-old suspect was arrested. The names of the victim and suspect weren’t immediately released.