Suspect arrested in connection with fatal SEPTA station stabbing
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An arrest has been made in connection with a fatal stabbing at a SEPTA station in Center City on Wednesday night, SEPTA police say. A separate incident at a SEPTA station Wednesday night has riders fearing for their safety.
Both incidents occurred while riders were on their way home from work Wednesday.
The first was a shooting near Allegheny Station in Kensington.
Minutes later, another attack happened in Center City: a man was stabbed to death at 8th street Station on Market Street. On Thursday, SEPTA police arrested the stabbing suspect at 2nd Street Station, an official said.
Police are still looking for the suspect involved in the shooting.
But riders CBS Philadelphia spoke to Thursday say they're thinking twice before riding on SEPTA.
"I be scared literally," Saliyah Jones said. "And there's crazy people talking to us. I just fear for my safety."
After a shooting and a stabbing near two separate SEPTA stations, riders are demanding more protection from police.
"We need more patrolling, a better system," Moses Morris, of North Philly, said. "For the money that we pay, I think we should be able to feel safe to ride on any SEPTA transportation."
On Wednesday evening at around 5:30 p.m., police say a man was shot near the SEPTA station in Kensington.
Eleven minutes later, police say this suspect allegedly stabbed Christian Rios at 8th Street Station. Rios later died at a nearby hospital.
"We found out that there was some altercation in the station, which must have gone on at the platform from the street level," R. Kitt Walls, the Bureau Captain Patrol of SEPTA, said. "So in between that area the victim was stabbed."
SEPTA officials say they're working on upping their security measures.
"We have over 3,000 plus cameras in the system that are virtually patrolled by these units to areas that might not often be patrolled by police officers," Kitt Walls said.
CBS Philadelphia visited the 8th Street Station and saw a group of officers heading down to patrol the area.
However, every day SEPTA riders like Morris say they rarely see police there.
"More patrols, you rarely, and not to knock the police, but you rarely see any patrols," Morris said.
"I haven't seen any SEPTA police in a long time, especially for young kids going to the train and stuff and it's so dangerous for us because we're so young. Anyone can take advantage of us and take us," a minor said.
While SEPTA works on improving security, riders say they'll continue to stay on alert.
SEPTA police says they're also working on hiring more people.
They have 22 future officers that are set to graduate, which would help with their current staffing shortages and patrols.