Officials: Woman, 80, stabbed multiple times loading groceries at Acme in New Jersey

A routine grocery run turned violent when officials say an 80-year-old woman became the victim of a stabbing.

Police responded to reports of a stabbing in the parking lot of Acme on West Nicholson Road in Audubon Sunday afternoon at around 11:30 a.m.

An 80-year-old woman was loading groceries in her car when she was reportedly stabbed multiple times. Officials say she is still recovering at Cooper University Hospital and is in stable condition.

Amy Paratore, ACME shopper and Audubon native, said, "I'm surprised that something like this happened in Audubon. I've lived here my whole life, and you usually feel safe coming to this store." 

MORE HEADLINES:

Altirik Higgins, 40, was taken into custody in connection to the stabbing. He is charged with attempted murder and weapons offenses.

Witnesses at the scene say an incident like this is very unusual for the "quiet" area of Audubon.

"It's very shocking because this area is not like that," said Stephanie Moore. "It's very quiet; very quaint."

Another woman outside the Acme said the stabbing has left her scared for her kids and the elderly in her family.

"It's crazy that we can't even go shopping, and our elderly can't get their groceries," she said. "The lady couldn't come out of the grocery store without worrying about getting stabbed or hurt."

New JerseyCrime and Public Safety