N.J. Crew Saves Man With Knife Wound to Heart
July 11--ATLANTIC CITY -- A man is in intensive care after emergency responders apparently brought him back to life following a stabbing Monday morning.
The victim, who police have not yet been able to identify, was seen staggering down Pacific Avenue at about 5 a.m., Lt. Charles Love said. He collapsed at Florida and Pacific avenues, where police responding to a 911 call found him.
Emergency Medical Technicians Brian Johnson and Michael McCloskey of Exceptional Medical Transportation, along with paramedics from AtlantiCare's Medic 6 responded, and were able to revive the man, whose heart had stopped, according to officers on the scene.
Surgeons worked to repair a hole in the man's heart, Love said. The knife went through his chest plate and punctured the heart.
As of 4 p.m. Monday, the victim was in intensive care while police awaited the doctor's OK to interview him, Love said.
"Just the fact that they brought him back is outstanding," said Love, who did not have details of the rescue. "They did a great job, I know that."
There was no identification on the man.
Police do not yet know where the stabbing took place. The knife went through the chest plate and punctured the man's heart, Love said.
Just two hours after the man was found, the area was quiet, with no sign that there had been a crime.
This is the third violent crime to happen in that area within the past three months.
On April 17, Anthony Rosario, 18, was paralyzed when he was shot through his spine on Florida Avenue between Atlantic and Pacific. Kevin Washington, 23, of Egg Harbor Township, has been charged in that crime.
A week later, Deziree Vivian, 27, was stabbed to death inside a convenience store at South Georgia and Pacific avenues -- a block from where this morning's victim was found. Her boyfriend, Freddy Solorzano, 50, has been charged with murder, after witnesses told police he chased Vivian into the store and stabbed her before fleeing.
A year ago, on July 5, 2010, a Philadelphia man was repeatedly stabbed at Florida and Pacific avenues. He had wounds to his arms and torso, but was unable to provide a description of his attacker.
Atlantic City police and the Prosecutor's Major Crimes Unit canvassed the area Monday morning, looking for witnesses and also pulling video surveillance from neighboring businesses to see if they can find where the stabbing occurred. Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel said his office would likely pull up their database of cameras at some point to aid the investigation, but stressed that it is the Police Department's case.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Detective Bureau at 347-5766. Information may also be called in anonymously to Crimes Stoppers at 652-1234.
