Police are looking for two youths after a 20-year-old was stabbed after being confronted near the food court at the Pen Centre in St. Catharines on Saturday.
Niagara Regional Police responded to the incident shortly before 5:45 p.m. at the mall on Glendale Avenue.
Niagara EMS paramedics treated the victim at the scene. He was transported to a local hospital for further care of what was believed to be a minor, non-life threatening injury, police said in a news release.
The initial investigation determined the victim had been walking in the mall when he was confronted by two males near the food court. After a brief conversation, one of the males pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim.
The suspects ran from scene through the mall, discarding the knife as they ran, police said.
The suspects exited the mall and left the property in an unknown vehicle. The identity of the suspects is not known, according to police.
However, police said both suspects are believed to be under the age of 18.
Police said the pair may have been involved in a theft with other youths in the mall prior to the stabbing.
The first suspect is described as a white male wearing a black jacket with a yellow cross-body style bag over his right shoulder and under his left arm, a blue or black baseball hat with the circular sticker still affixed to the brim and a white/grey/black graffiti patterned hooded sweater. He was carrying a large paper bag and is believed to have stabbed the victim, according to the police news release.
The second is a white male, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a red and white Toronto Raptors logo on the front, grey pants and was carrying a purple graffiti styled skateboard.
Detectives are appealing to anyone who may have had an interaction with the suspects, witnessed the incident, or have any information to contact them by calling 905-688-4111, option 3, ext. 1009511.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.
