A Hartford, Connecticut police officer is in critical condition after getting stabbed in the neck. (Brad Horrigan/Hartford Courant)
A Connecticut police officer is fighting for her life after she was stabbed in the throat while investigating a disturbance Thursday morning, officials said.
Hartford police Deputy Chief Brian Foley said the stabbing occurred at about 10:10 a.m. at Spectra Boutique Apartments. He said the female officer was trying to handcuff a woman during an eviction.
The unidentified officer was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
“As far as the condition, all we’ve got is critical,” Foley said, according to Hartford Courant. “Severe, life-altering injury to say the least.”
She was stabbed in a jugular vein, the newspaper reported.
A 39-year-old woman is in police custody and was taken to a hospital to be treated for hand injuries. She is likely to be charged with serious crimes later in the day, Foley said. It’s unclear how she was injured.
The name of the suspect has not been released.
Foley said two maintenance workers nearby “heard a struggle in the other room. They saw her stabbing her in the throat.” He called the workers heroes.
The officer’s relatives were on their way to the hospital, he said.
“She’s tough,” Foley said. “She’s been here a long time. Everyone loves her. There is some emotion on the scene as you can imagine.”
The officer is undergoing surgery, officials said during a news conference at Hartford Hospital, according to the Courant.
“The best trauma surgeons possible are working with her right now,” Mayor Luke Bronin said. “It’s a reminder of the risks that the men and women in law enforcement officers face every day.”
Bronin also tweeted about the stabbing and asked for the public’s “thoughts and prayers.”
“This morning, a Hartford Police Officer sustained severe stab wounds while in the line of duty,” he said. “She is in critical condition and we will update the public later today. We ask the entire Hartford community to keep the officer in their thoughts and prayers.”
Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy also tweeted saying, “Our prayers are with the HPD officer who was injured in the line of duty this morning. We are sending our best wishes to her for a speedy recovery.”
Fox News’ Elizabeth Zwirz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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