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Police: 20-year-old charged in assault of elderly woman, no motive for attack

An 80-year-old woman was on a morning walk when an unknown man came up behind her, stabbed her in the neck and ran away.
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

COLUMBIA, Md. — A 20-year-old man has been charged for the assault of an elderly woman who was walking on a trail in Columbia, Maryland last Wednesday, Howard County Police said. Traquan Malik Waller was charged in an arrest warrant with attempted murder, assault and reckless endangerment.

On Sept. 9, police responded to the 7000 block of Cradlerock Way for calls that an 80-year-old woman had been attacked. Police said that the victim was on a morning walk when an unknown man came up behind her, stabbed her in the neck and ran away in the direction of the Owen Brown Village Center. 

The woman was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma and has since been released. 

Police said they believe the attack was a random act, as nothing was said to the woman during the attack, nor was anything taken. There is currently no motive for the attack, police said. 

Waller was identified as a suspect in the attack during the police investigation, and his clothing matched the suspect description. Police also located a knife at the scene. He is currently hospitalized on an unrelated issue, but once he is discharged he will be transported to the Howard County Detention Center for booking. Waller does not currently have any known place of residence. 

Howard County Police are asking anyone with any information in this case to come forward and report it at 410-313-3200. 

UPDATE (Sept. 14): Police have arrested Traquan Malik Waller, 20, of no fixed address. He is charged in an arrest...

Posted by Howard County Police Department on Wednesday, September 9, 2020

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