Police Make Arrest In Overnight Downtown Stabbing
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man is in the hospital and a suspect is behind bars following an overnight stabbing outside of a convenience store in downtown Pittsburgh.
Police officers arrested Hayder Al Ghazi at the intersection of 14th Street and Liberty Avenue shortly after the incident. They also recovered two knives.
The initial incident happened around 12:30 a.m. at the 7-Eleven on Smithfield Street. The clerk told police the store's surveillance cameras caught the suspect inside before the stabbing.
Investigators say Al Ghazi, who has cuts to both sides of his neck, told them he was in the store when the victim began commenting on the lacerations.
According to the criminal complaint, Al Ghazi said he told the victim to "stop talking," and the victim said to meet him outside of the business.
Al Ghazi told police the victim punched him in the face and "that's when I stabbed him," the criminal complaint reports.
The victim was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital to be treated for the stab wounds to his abdomen. He underwent surgery and was listed in stable condition.
Al Ghazi was checked out at Allegheny General Hospital for the cuts on his neck, and then taken to Allegheny County Jail. He was also wanted on an outstanding warrant.
Police seized the suspect's knives as evidence.
