Neighbors Rattled By Perry Hall Double Stabbing

UPDATE (3:45 p.m., Jan. 11)—Police charged the suspected stabber and both victims involved in the Hilltop Acres stabbing in Perry Hall on Jan. 3. None of the men is a local. Police say it was drug related - http://patch.com/A-1bqv

---

Jennifer Searles had just put her young son to bed Thursday evening when a police helicopter's spotlight began shining in her windows. She heard sirens and watched as police dogs searched the neighborhood.

"I desperately wanted to know what was going on but no one knocked on our door to tell us. I was just so freaked out," said Searles, a resident of Hilltop Acres Road. 

According to Baltimore County police, the Perry Hall neighborhood, lined with a mix of townhomes and single-family homes, was the scene of a brutal double stabbing and search.

At about 7:40 p.m. on Jan. 3, in the 5000 block of Hilltop Acres Road, two men, 19 and 20 years old, got into a fight with another unknown man. Both men were stabbed and ran toward Winding Way, where they called 911 and were transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for treatment, police announced Friday morning.

One of the victims had been released and the other remained at the hospital into Friday morning, the release stated. Police spokeswoman Cpl. Cathy Batton did not indicate where the victims were from or why they were in the area, citing the ongoing investigation.

As of Friday afternoon, the search for the suspect continued. He is described as a black male, between 18 and 25 years old, with a slim build and was wearing all dark clothing, Batton said. 

For Searles, the incident raised several concerns. 

"I know all of my neighbors. No one fitting the suspect description even lives around here. If this was some sort of drug deal, I want to know," she said. 

"We come out here every day to watch the school bus. There are numerous elementary school children who live on this block. It's very family friendly," she added.

Jennifer Mahon, another resident of Hilltop Acres Road, agreed that the incident seemed out of place in the quiet community. 

"As far as I know, it's a very safe neighborhood. I've been here about five to seven months and we've never had anything like this. My dogs usually let me know if anything is going on," she said.