Suspect in custody in Center City knifings

Police have apprehended a man suspected in two separate knife attacks in Center City on Tuesday.

Police on Wednesday identified the suspect as 26-year-old Kyle Stephens, whose last address was a homeless shelter.

Charges against him have not yet been announced.

The attacks happened within 15 minutes of each other early Tuesday morning and Stephens is suspected of committing both assaults. Surveillance footage showed the assailant walking north on 21st Street between the two incidents.

The first happened just before 5:30 a.m. on the 2300 block of Walnut Street. A 23-year-old man told police he was running east on Walnut Street when the suspect yelled something to him, then charged at him, knocking the runner to the ground and thrusting a three-inch blade at him, police said.

An employee at a nearby condo saw the attack and scared off the suspect.

The runner suffered superficial puncture wounds to his right arm and back, police said.

About 15 minutes later, a 42-year-old man was assaulted in a similar manner by a man with the same description as the first attack, officials said.

The second victim was walking south on the 100 block of North 21st Street when the suspect shouted obscenities at him, then approached the victim from behind and cut the left side of his face.

The suspect fled west on Cherry Street after the attack.

Both victims were treated at Hahnemann University Hospital and released.