In San Diego, two firefighters answering a medical call were attacked and stabbed multiple times.
Emergency personnel responded to help an "intoxicated subject" at 3:55 p.m. at the Park and Market trolley station in the East Village section of downtown.
However, when they arrived, a man walked up to them and stabbed two firefighters more than once, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue officials.
The firefighters were rushed to UCSD Hillcrest and Scripps Mercy Hospital. They were still hospitalized Thursday with what were described as non-life threatening injuries.
“On behalf of the entire Fire-Rescue Department, I want to thank everyone in the City of San Diego and beyond who has expressed their concern and offered their prayers and support for our people at this time,” Fire Chief Javier Mainar said Thursday.
The chief and San Diego Chief of Police Shelley Zimmerman plan to hold a joint briefing for the media. NBC 7 will cover the event on NBC 7 News at 4 p.m.
A suspect was taken into custody but has not been identified. He will be charged with multiple felonies, according to San Diego police.
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A witness told NBC 7 that she saw a suspect wrestling with officers on the ground and a firefighter rushing up to help them.
"[The suspect] kept struggling, kept fighting, kept swinging, kicking. And I didn't know he had a weapon and I seen him hit the fireman," said the woman, who declined to give her name.
She didn't realize the firefighter had been stabbed until other medics lifted up his shirt and revealed a wound to his left side. Another witness, Gary McIntire, described the chaotic scene.
"Two fireman sitting there, both of them stabbed," said McIntire. "You could see the stab wounds in the back. One of them had two stab wounds, bleeding bad. They're both awake."
Witnesses said the suspect was removed from the scene and taken to the hospital on a stretcher.
The firefighters have not been identified. Officials say crews from Fire Station 4 on 8th Avenue and Medic 36 responded to the initial call.
