Several stabbed at blood plasma centre in Virginia

PETERSBURG, Va. – A man stabbed several people at a blood plasma donation centre in Virginia on Thursday before he was taken into custody, authorities said.

The stabbings took place inside the Octapharma Plasma centre in Petersburg, about 20 miles (32 kilometres) south of Richmond, WTVR TV quoted Petersburg Police Chief Kenneth Miller as saying.

An unknown number of victims were wounded by a “cutting instrument,” The Richmond Times-Dispatch quoted Petersburg police Lt. Dustin Sloan as saying. Sloan said earlier Thursday that the victims were “stable,” without elaborating.

Southside Regional Medical Center officials said in a news release Thursday that the facility had received three victims from the attack: one male who was in critical condition and was transferred to a different hospital; a female who was listed in fair condition; and a female who was listed in good condition.

Authorities have not identified the suspect. He was being questioned Thursday evening, the newspaper said.