ESSEX, Conn. (WTNH) — State police are searching for a man who they say stabbed a woman and another man at the Sunoco gas station at Exit 3 on Route 9 in Essex at around 8:30 p.m. Monday.
State police released surveillance photos of the suspect Tuesday. He is seen wearing a blue sweatshirt and was driving what police describe as a dark gray SUV, possibly an Alfa Romeo.
Anyone who may have seen the suspect, the car, or knows who the suspect is, is asked to contact Detective Derek McGregor at Derek.McGregor@ct.gov or (860) 883-0928.
After the stabbing, the victims drove their car into downtown Essex, where they hit an unoccupied car, causing minor damage. Their car also struck a light post across the street from the Griswold Inn.
Two people — a man and a woman — who are off-duty EMTs helped the victims, even using napkins from the Griswold Inn to control the bleeding. They stayed with the victims until EMTs arrived.
“We found one victim on the sidewalk with a stab wound of his abdomen, and the other victim was trying to tell people what was going on, and she had some injuries to her face,” Essex Fire Chief Andrew Kressley said. “When we got there, they [the off-duty EMTs] were actually attending to the male patient.”
He says the male victim was treated as a priority one patient and required advanced life support with a paramedic.
State Police did not release the names of the victims but confirmed to News 8 the woman was treated and released for her injuries, and the man who was brought to Yale-New Haven Hospital remains in serious but stable condition.
“I saw two women who were pulling him out of the car and getting him down on the ground and putting pressure on what I’m assuming was his stabbing wound,” a witness said. “I didn’t know they were EMTs at the time until I went inside and heard they were EMTs who were attending to them. I guess people were saying if there weren’t people there at the minute that it had happened, that he was trying to get out of the car or trying to drive away, that he would have died.”
State Police are not saying what started the altercation.
“At this time, it still remains under investigation,” said State Police Trooper Donna Sabourin, who added it doesn’t appear the victims and assailant knew each other. “It appears to be a random isolated incident. We’re unsure right now and it’s still being investigated by our major crime.”
“I can ensure the residents of Essex that state police is being very vigilant and cautious in taking their patrols to maintain that the public is safe at all times,” said Trooper Sabourin.