Miami

Woman Stabbed With X-Acto Knife at Art Basel: Police

An altercation led to a woman stabbing another woman at an Art Basel exhibit in Miami Beach Friday evening, police said.

The incident happened around 5:15 p.m. at the Miami Beach Convention Center, police officials said.

According to police, the woman stabbed the other woman with an X-Acto knife in the arms and neck. The victim was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and the suspect was taken into custody.

The suspect was later identified as 24-year-old Siyuan Zhao, of New York. Police said she's facing an attempted murder charge.

According to an arrest report, the victim confronted Zhao because Zhao was following her around the art show and purposely bumping into her several times.

Zhao without warning stabbed the victim, who said she didn't know Zhao, the report said. Zhao was taken into custody by Miami Beach Police Chief Daniel Oates, the report said.

While Zhao was being patted down by another officer she spontaneously stated "I had to kill her and two more!" and "I had to watch her bleed!" the report said.

The fight happened near an exhibit by artist Naomi Fisher. She told the Miami Herald one witness thought it was a performance with fake blood until he realized the blood was real.

The paper said others thought the police tape cordoning the area was an installation.

Art Basel Miami Beach spokeswoman Sara Fitzmaurice said in an email to The Associated Press Friday, "The attack was an isolated incident that was immediately secured. Our thoughts are with the victim."

Art Basel Miami Beach is the extension of the annual contemporary art fair in Basel, Switzerland, and is attended by thousands.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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