Cops: Man On His Way To Work Fatally Stabbed Near Pa. Convention Center

By Rahel Solomon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police are investigating a fatal stabbing in Center City near the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Police say it happened on Broad Street near Cherry Street.

Police tell CBS 3 Eyewitness News this afternoon they were able to get their hands on surveillance video. Eyewitness News is told the images are clear and they're hoping that'll help lead them to a suspect.

Police say the victim was simply walking to work early Thursday morning.

"We know he was a working man, he did have a couple of children and we believe he was on his way to work," said Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark.

The fatal stabbing happened at about 6:45 a.m. Moments later and just feet away Herman Dickey and several others were working.

"We were out here, and we were banging, tearing things down, so you really can't hear nothing when you hear noise like that going on but I didn't hear no screams I didn't hear anything at all and next thing I turned around, this guy there were two people trying to help him," said Herman Dickey.

Their efforts were unsuccessful. Medics took the 47-year-old victim to nearby Hanneman University Hospital but the stab wound to the left side of his chest was fatal. Sources in the police department tell CBS 3 Eyewitness News it appeared he was a maintenance worker downtown.

"We're out here working in the dark, that could have been us," said Dickey.

People who work in the area tell Eyewitness News the homeless often congregate along Broad Street near Cherry. Police say they're investigating if the person responsible is known to the area.

"I have detectives out there now canvassing the area, looking at area video so hopefully we'll develop a suspect relatively quickly," said Clark.

Meantime Dickey says the incident is alarming for all of those who work in the area.

"You figure I had my back turned to the streets so there's people walking up here all through the night, so anything could happen. I figured the same thing like man that could have been any of us," said Dickey.

City Hall and the Convention Center are nearby.

Many people are inside the Convention Center for the World Meeting of Families. Eyewitness News asked Captain Clark about that. He says this appears to be an isolated incident and uniformed officers are very much present in this area.