A scary incident for riders on a late-night SEPTA bus as one passenger attacked another with a meat cleaver as the bus went down North Broad Street, Philadelphia police said.
The driver of the southbound SEPTA Broad Street Line Owl bus stopped the bus in front of Philadelphia Police Headquarters at North Broad and Callowhill streets around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small and SEPTA spokesperson Kelly Greene said.
Another passenger hopped off the bus and flagged down a police officer in front of headquarters, Small said.
The bus operator "reported that two male passengers engaged in a physical altercation" before the attack, Greene said.
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The responding officer found two men covered in blood on the bus, police said. One of them was holding the knife.
"The officer instructed the male to drop the knife, which he did," police said in a midday statement. "Shortly thereafter, the officer learned that the male holding the knife was the victim, who had taken the weapon from the offender."
The victim -- a 61-year-old man -- was bleeding severely after being hit in the head and hand, Small said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
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The responding officer arrested the suspected attacker -- a 45-year-old man -- and the meat cleaver was recovered, Small said.
There were around six to eight people on the bus at the time of the attack, Small said. Many of those passengers gave witness accounts to investigators.
The reason for the attack wasn't immediately clear, but the suspect made incoherent comments before attacking, Small said.
Police found a lot of blood on the floor and seats of the bus, Small said. Surveillance video on the bus captured the attack.
The Owl service supplements the Broad Street Line subway between the Fern Rock Transportation Center and South Philadelphia from midnight to 5 a.m. Sundays to Thursdays while trains are idle overnight.
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