Willow Grove Park Mall Photo by James Short.
A 14-year-old girl was injured with slashes to her arm in a knife attack Wednesday afternoon at Willow Grove Park Mall, according to police, and the suspect was taken into custody.
The suspect, identified as 23-year-old Angel Ortiz, was taken into custody without incident.
Investigators said the victim and suspect did not know each other prior to the incident. The encounter reportedly began as a verbal altercation before escalating into the assault.
Ortiz has been charged with aggravated assault and related offenses and was transported to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility to await arraignment.
Officers with the Abington Township Police Department responded to the mall around 2:27 p.m. on April 15 following reports of an assault involving a male armed with a knife.
When officers arrived, they located the teenage victim suffering from multiple lacerations caused by an edged weapon. She was transported to Jefferson Abington Hospital, where she was treated for injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Police quickly obtained a description of the suspect and located him a short time later in the 2500 block of Moreland Road.
The incident remains under investigation.
