Woman stabbed multiple times outside Raleigh Food Lion

RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) -- Police looking for the suspect accused of stabbing a woman multiples time outside of a Raleigh Food Lion.

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Officers said the incident happened just before 6:30 Thursday night at the store located in the shopping center at 1100 N. Raleigh Blvd.

When they arrived, they found 36-year-old Alma Delia Contreras Martinez had sustained several stab wounds.

She was taken to WakeMed with non-life-threatening injuries.

One eyewitness, who did not want to be identified, told ABC11 that Martinez was putting groceries into her car when the suspect came up from behind and attacked her.

"You hear this woman screaming loud ... I look over there. The guy out there stabbed her like six times," the witness said. "Booked it straight that way, I couldn't catch him at all."

The crime happened across the street from the troubled Millbank Court Apartments. The witness said the suspect ran through the apartment complex and likely through Lions Park.

He said he believes the suspect, who he did not get a good look at, randomly targeted Martinez because she is a woman.

"They just went up to someone old, might be an easy steal, and get some money and just tried to rob her," he said.

There were security cameras positioned outside the Food Lion and facing the parking lot. It's not clear whether the incident was recorded, but a representative from the grocery chain said it has turned over the surveillance photo to police.

A woman who works at a business inside Raleigh Boulevard Plaza said she and her co-workers will take extra precaution when leaving the store.

"It's a little scary now that happened actually," she said. "It's because now you've got to be more careful. We've got to go ahead and come out together. We can't go out by ourselves anymore."

Those with any information are asked to call CrimeStoppers at 919-834-4357.