A 16-year-old girl is in critical condition after being stabbed multiple times inside of a Target store in Pittsburgh on Monday. The knife-wielding man also stabbed two other people inside of the store.
Authorities say that 41-year-old Leon Raymond Walls ran into Target holding a knife around 5:30 p.m. on Monday after getting into a fight nearby. Once inside, he took the teen girl as a hostage. The girl, who was visiting Pittsburgh with her family from Tennessee, suffered a punctured lung and was taken into surgery, police said on Tuesday. Police also confirmed that Walls is homeless and did not know the girl. He has been charged in the attack, according to court records.
At first, Walls headed toward the restrooms in the back of the store in the East Liberty neighborhood as he was running from at least two men who were searching for him. Witnesses said one of the men had a baseball bat. Walls allegedly tried to use the girl as a shield after he grabbed her as she was standing in the checkout lanes with family members, police spokeswoman Diane Richard said.
The suspect then allegedly slashed the two men who had chased him and stabbed the girl in the back and arm.
Police said one of the men will need surgery to repair an injury to his face, while the other man was treated for a hand injury and released.
A police officer was also taken to hospitals to be treated after being exposed to pepper while bystander who helped to subdue Walls complained of chest pains and was taken to a hospital and listed in stable condition.
Walls was unable to post $250,000 bond.
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