Briefly... CITY/REGION

Man stabbed at El station

A 23-year-old man remained in critical condition last night after being stabbed on the Allegheny station platform of the Market-Frankford El, according to police and SEPTA.

The assault, which happened about 12:10 p.m., followed an argument between the victim and another man, SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said.

The assailant fled the platform and remained on the lam. The victim, who was stabbed once in the abdomen, was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he remained last night.

Cop car, bus collide; 9 hurt

A Philadelphia police cruiser and a SEPTA bus collided yesterday afternoon in North Philadelphia, sending nine people, including the officer driving the cruiser, to the hospital.

The crash occurred about 1:30 p.m. at Erie Avenue and Old York Road, SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said. He said that SEPTA did not know the cause of the accident, but Philadelphia police said that the cruiser was traveling east on Erie Avenue and was trying to make a left turn when it was hit by the Route 56 bus.

The 25th District officer was taken to Temple University Hospital with neck pain, police said. Busch said that eight people on board the bus complained of minor injuries and were taken to Temple University and Albert Einstein hospitals.

Man killed in S. Phila.

A 19-year-old man who was shot to death inside a Cadillac DeVille on Monday night in South Philadelphia was the city's 171st homicide victim of the year, police said.

Akiem Smith, of 4th Street near Wharton, was shot numerous times on Pierce Street near 5th about 10:35 p.m., police said. He was pronounced dead at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at 11:19 p.m.

Benefit for hikers held in Iran

Friends and family of Josh Fattal, an Elkins Park native who was one of three American hikers detained in Iran last year, will hold a benefit tonight for the three at Ladder 15, on Sansom Street near 15th, from 8 to 10 p.m. For information contact Gwen at 215-498- 9449.

2 convicted in shooting

Shaheem Willis, 19, and co-defendant Christian Williams, 18, were convicted yesterday by a Common Pleas jury of attempted murder and related offenses in the Feb. 25, 2009, shooting of Jerome Sims, 12, at 61st and Spruce streets. They will be sentenced Oct. 8.

New brief in Fumo case

U.S. 3rd Circuit Appeals Court Judge Thomas Vanaskie yesterday ordered federal prosecutors to submit a new brief no later than Aug. 4 on their appeal of sentences handed down last year to former state Sen. Vincent Fumo and longtime aide Ruth Arnao.

Fumo's attorneys had filed court papers earlier this month challenging the length of the government's 53,453-word brief. Vanaskie said that prosecutors could file a brief no longer than 42,500 words.

- Staff and wire reports