A Hillsborough resident has been charged in relation to a stabbing that took place on the afternoon of May 4 in the township.
Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart stated that on May 4 at approximately 2 p.m., Hillsborough police officers were dispatched to the area of 9th Street and Clawson Avenue in response to a 911 call by an individual reporting he was attacked unprovoked while walking his dog in the area, according to a prepared statement released on May 6.
The victim initially reported being punched in the back by the assailant but Hillsborough officers responded and determined that the victim was bleeding from suspected stab wounds on his back, according to the statement.
The victim, a Hillsborough adult male resident, was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Hillsborough Township Police Department responded to the scene to conduct an investigation, according to the statement.
As a result of this investigation, Safi N. Hill, 23, of Hillsborough, was identified as the individual involved in the stabbing. On May 4, he was taken into custody without incident at his residence where a Somerset County Superior Court ordered search warrant was executed, according to the statement.
Hill was charged with first-degree attempted murder, third-degree hindering apprehension, and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Hill was lodged at the Somerset County Jail pending a bail detention hearing in this matter, as of press time.
Anyone with information relating to this investigation should contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Hillsborough Township Police Department at 908-369-4323 or via the STOPit app. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.