Jewish woman stabbed, critically injured in Sweden

A Jewish woman was critically injured when she was stabbed Tuesday in the city of Helsingborg in Sweden, Swedish media reported.

It was not immediately clear whether a hate crime was suspected.

The woman, a member of the Jewish community in her 60s, was attacked in the street by an unknown assailant who fled, according to Swedish daily Aftonbladet.

Police said they were treating the case as an attempted murder and launched a manhunt for the suspect.

#BREAKING: Jewish female in her 60's was stabbed 9 times and critically wounded in the Swedish city of #Helsingborg pic.twitter.com/06DZiESfE9

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories

Newsletter email address Get it

By signing up, you agree to the terms

— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) May 14, 2019

The newspaper quoted a witness to the stabbing saying the woman cried out in English, “Help me! Help me!”

Northwestern Scania police spokesperson Eva-Lotta Hermansson said the assailant was believed to be a man and that he escaped on foot.

A member of the community told SVT public television that the woman was on her way to work when she was attacked.

Some initial reports said the victim is the wife of the leader of the Helsingborg community.

Police have stationed officers outside the Helsingborg synagogue.

JTA contributed to this report.