EDITOR'S NOTE: Police initially said a woman was stabbed, but it was later learned that it was a 17-year-old male.
A teen was brutally stabbed at Miami International Airport Saturday night, briefly setting off chaos in the terminal and leading to a man's arrest.
The attack happened on the fourth floor of the Terminal J in arrivals around 11:30 p.m., according to Miami-Dade Police.
Investigators said a man stabbed the 17-year-old victim repeatedly and tried to throw him over the railing. The teen was able to escape, running down the stairs to the 3rd floor where police officers found him.
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According to police, the stabbing was "without provocation."
The victim was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition.
The alleged stabber, identified as 29-year-old Alexander Love, was later taken into custody. He faces an attempted murder charge.
Initially, police got a call about a possible active shooter, which caused a brief disruption to airport operations until officers determined the chaos actually stemmed from the stabbing.
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"There is no impact at all to airport operations, and it is considered an isolated incident," Miami-Dade Police Det. Angel Rodriguez said.
Police said they arrested the suspect in the area where the stabbing happened. They also said they found the knife used in the attack.
One passenger told NBC6 she and her family heard an argument before the chaos. "We heard the escalation of the fight and somebody said 'run,'" said Dana, a passenger flying with Delta Airlines. "When they said 'run,' we all ran."
Detectives said they are trying to determine the relationship between the suspect and the victim. The reason for the attack is not clear. It's also unknown if the man and victim were passengers.
Operations at the airport have returned to normal.
Stay with NBC6 for updates on this developing story.
