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Background: The Willow Grove Park Mall in Abington Township, Pennsylvania (Google Maps). Inset: Angel Ortiz (Abington Township Police Department).
A man allegedly stabbed a teenage girl at a Pennsylvania mall following a confrontation sparked by comments about his odor, authorities report.
Angel Ortiz, 23, is facing multiple charges including aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, harassment, and possession of an instrument of crime with intent. According to court records examined by Law&Crime, Ortiz is currently held at Montgomery County Correctional Facility with a bail set at $50,000.
The incident unfolded around 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the Willow Grove Park Mall in Abington Township, a suburb north of Philadelphia. A group of teenage girls, including a 14-year-old, were descending an escalator when Ortiz was behind them, as reported by local NBC affiliate WCAU.
Allegedly, one of the teenagers commented about a smell and then attributed it to Ortiz, prompting an angry reaction. Ortiz reportedly began shouting at the girls following the remark.
Ortiz allegedly challenged the girl, repeatedly asking, “Why don’t you hit me?” Surveillance footage reviewed by police reportedly captured Ortiz initially walking away. However, it appears the 14-year-old followed and struck him on the head, leading to the violent escalation.
Ortiz reportedly responded by swiping back at her with a knife in his hand. He said he didn’t mean to stab her, only to get her to “back off,” but she ended up with wounds on both her arms, from which she was bleeding.
The Abington Township Police Department reported arriving at the mall just before 2:30 p.m. following a report that a female had been assaulted by a male armed with a knife. The girl, “who had sustained multiple lacerations from an edged weapon,” was brought to an area hospital where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Officers spotted Ortiz nearby. He allegedly said that after the fight with the teen, he went to a nearby Chipotle restaurant to “cool off” and wait for the bus, per WCAU. He was arrested with two pocket knives on him, police said.
Officers noted that the suspect and victim did not know each other before the incident.
Ortiz had a preliminary arraignment on Thursday. He is expected back in court for a preliminary hearing on April 29.