SILVER SPRING, Md.—A man stabbed four people at random in Maryland on Saturday before a police officer shot and killed him, officials said.
The victims included three women—two were stabbed in the neck—and a man, all of whom are expected to survive, Montgomery County Police Assistant Chief Darren Francke told reporters during a Saturday afternoon news conference at the scene. Three were hospitalized with injuries.
The suspect’s identity has not been released.
Mr. Francke said the man used a 12-inch butcher knife in the stabbings, which started at a popular thrift store in Silver Spring, Maryland, and then continued in the surrounding neighborhood. While the investigation is ongoing, Mr. Francke said, detectives don’t believe the suspect knew any of the victims. He said the attacks appear “completely random.”
“We have witnesses. We are continuing our interviews, but at this point it was an unprovoked attack,” he said.
Police received reports around 10:35 a.m. of a stabbing at the thrift store. Almost simultaneously, another caller reported a second stabbing on a nearby street, according to police.
The suspect ran into a wooded area while police started setting up a perimeter. Mr. Francke said the man then came out of the woods and “confronted a police cruiser.” He said another officer soon arrived on scene, saw the man armed with a knife, gave commands and ultimately opened fire, killing the suspect.
“The officer fired multiple rounds and the subject was stopped from attacking further people,” Mr. Francke said.
The suspect died at the scene.
