Off-Duty Officer Stabbed Outside Bar In Center City

By Jim Melwert, Jenn Bernstein, Al Novack

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police are searching for a suspect who stabbed an off-duty officer and injured another man outside a Center City bar late Thursday night.

The incident happened outside of the Venture Inn, along the 200 block of Camac Street, a small but lively alley in the heart of Center City near 13th and Spruce Streets.

Police say a 49-year-old off-duty cop was stabbed three times, twice in the torso and once in the leg. A bartender was cut on the chin, unclear if he was stabbed.

Chief Inspector Scott Small says investigators have a pretty good idea of who they're looking for.

"There were several witnesses inside of the bar in the 200 block of South Camac Street that were interviewed by Central Detectives personnel. At this time, Central Detectives believe they know who this individual is, they're following several leads to try to look for this individual."

Small says they did recover the knife, a hunting-style folding knife with a 4-inch blade.

The two men walked to Pennsylvania Hospital. The off-duty cop, who Small says is a 19-year veteran of the force, was transferred to Jefferson where he's in stable condition.