Jogger Stabbed on Salem Street in Medford in "Random Act of Violence"

A man was stabbed by a group of young men while jogging near Salem and Park Streets in Medford on Thursday night, police said.

The incident is believed to be a random act of violence, police Lt. Paul Covino said in a statement. The Medford Police Department is seeking help identifying four men in their early 20s who assaulted the jogger.

A Medford Police officer nearby was alerted to the stabbing by a passer-by, and performed first aid on the victim before an ambulance took him to Massachusetts General Hospital where he was operated on, police said. The jogger was stabbed in the upper torso.

Police interviewed the victim and a few witnesses, and also brought in the K-9 until to search for the suspects, but were unable to find them on Thursday, police said.

Three of the suspects are white and the other may have been hispanic, police said.

The crime was random, Covino said.

"This crime could have happened anywhere in this city or in any other city," he said in a statement. "We believe that the suspects were trolling for an opportunity to commit their crime. We encourage all people to be more vigilant when out walking or jogging.

Be aware of your surroundings, If you are at all nervous that someone is following you move to a well lit public area and call for help. Be as loud as possible. It is better to be embarrassed for over reacting to a situation that you think could be harmful to you rather than to be assaulted."

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call Medford Police at 781-393-4700.