A city firefighter was stabbed Tuesday while treating a patient in downtown Los Angeles.
The firefighter, identified by the Associated Press as Charles MacDougall, was hospitalized in stable condition, according to authorities. Late Tuesday night MacDougall was released by doctors and sent home to recuperate.
MacDougall is a nine-year department veteran.
Fire Department spokesman Richard Matheney says MacDougall and a colleague was treating someone who had fallen ill at the Cecil Hotel when somebody alerted them to a second person who needed help. When they went to check on the condition of that person, an assailant attacked MacDougall and stabbed him in the chest and back.
Police were called and officers went floor by floor, searching for the assailant.
"The officers got on scene, met with some of the fire department personnel and determined that there was a stabbing of one of the firefighters somewhere inside of the location, possibly," LAPD Capt. Todd Chamberlain said around 1 p.m. "At that time, the location was kind of -- we contained it. A perimeter was established around the structure and a systematic search is under way at this time."
LAPD Sgt. Daniel Widman described the suspect as a man in his 30s with a dark complexion and wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt.
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The Los Angeles Times reported that MacDougall was expected to be released Tuesday.
Main Street was closed at Sixth Street while the search continued.
