Police: Woman Slashed in Face on Schuylkill River Trail

Photo by M. Edlow for VISIT PHILADELPHIA™

Police say a 24-year-old woman was attacked on the Schuylkill River Trail around 3 o’clock Thursday afternoon, according to multiple news reports.

The woman was walking up the stairs from the trail to the Walnut Street Bridge when she was slashed in the forehead with a sharp object by an unknown attacker, authorities say. The attacker, who was described by police as a six-foot African-American man in his early 20s with a beard and a dark hoodie, allegedly shouted, “You don’t know anything!” before attacking the woman.

There have been a number of reports of attacks on the trail in the last year. Under public pressure, Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, whose district includes parts of the trail, has tried to organize efforts to improve trail safety. In December, he met with trail advocates to discuss improving safety measures, like patrols and better lighting. The Schuylkill River Development Corporation is also working on placing new mile markers around the trail, so people can easily tell police where they are in the event of an emergency.

The woman in Thursday’s attack was treated at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and listed in stable condition, according to 6ABC.

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