PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Pittsburgh police said a 12-year-old boy was stabbed inside a McDonald’s in downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.
Police said they arrested 51-year-old Charles Edward Turner in connection with the stabbing. He is facing several charges, including attempted criminal murder.
The child was transported to the hospital in critical condition. A criminal complaint states that a doctor has gone from being a condition to being stable. He also said that a black and yellow stylus was recovered from the scene and a piece of razor blade that broke the stylus was recovered where the stabbing took place.
“It really is a tragic thing on a beautiful Saturday downtown,” said Cara Cruz, she is the Deputy Director of Public Information for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Security.
Police said the 12-year-old boy was stabbed in the neck inside McDonald’s on Avenida da Liberdade and Stanwix Street shortly after 2 pm on Saturday. Cruz said the child was in line with his family when the incident happened.
“He was with his family, he was in line, they had just arrived for something quick,” said Cruz.
People walking in the busy city center were shocked and frightened when they heard the news.
“I think it’s terrible that something like this can happen,” said Anthony Benson, who has just moved from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
“We are here all the time, people are here all the time, it is scary, very scary and a child … this is scary,” said Maggie Kishbaugh, a student at Duquesne University.
Cruz said Turner was in line behind the child and his family. A criminal complaint claims that a witness said that Turner grabbed the child from behind and then people tried to take him off and realized that the child’s neck was cut.
Documents also state that Turner resisted arrest by punching and kicking police officers. Court documents say a police officer had cuts to his face and two other victims suffered minor injuries.
Turner is charged with attempted criminal homicide, four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault and resistance to arrest.
He is currently in the Allegheny County Jail.
Jerry Dean, from Uniontown, was in the city center with his family when he saw the scene.
“I realized that there were a lot of police cars here and, as we were approaching, it looked like they were bringing a man in handcuffs,” he said. “It’s scary. I have a 15-year-old girl who will be turning 16 soon, and I thought, what if she could be there getting something to drink or something.”
Cruz said that when the boy was stabbed, officials tried to help.
“Two McDonald’s employees tried to intervene and help the child, so the police and the EMS arrived at the scene,” said Cruz.
Cruz said the police do not believe the child and Turner knew each other. They also don’t know if this was a random act.
“It just goes to show that you have to be very careful today, wherever you are, wherever you go,” said Benson.
“I feel safe in this area, so maybe now we shouldn’t feel so safe being around, just more aware, I think,” said Kishbaugh.
McDonald’s on Avenida da Liberdade is closed. There is a sign on the door saying that they will open on Sunday.