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Sarah Dallof ReportingA 13-year-old riding his bike through a Salt Lake park was stabbed three times. Now police are asking for your help finding the teen's attacker.
It happened last night at about 10:00 as the teen was headed home from a friend's house, through Riverside Park. It was dark, and he was so shocked, he didn't get a good look at the man.
The 13-year-old tells police he was riding his bike on the path when a man gestured for him to come over. He did, and the man demanded money. When the teen said he had none, the man spun him around and stabbed him three times in the back and right arm.
Investigators say they've never heard of an attack like this at the park and are issuing a plea for information.
Salt Lake Police Detective Jeff Bedard said, "They deserve to be kids. They deserve to be able to ride their bike through a park and feel safe. So we want to catch this guy, and if anybody knows anything about this we really hope they call us so we can get this guy off the street before he victimizes anyone else, let alone a child."
The teen was able to get home on his own, where his grandmother called police. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to be OK, although police say right now he is very shaken up.
We spoke to neighbors who live around the park, and nobody heard anything, but they say they don't go to the park after dark because there's often gang and drug activity.
