Updated at 12:18 a.m., Jan. 18, 2013

MIDDLETOWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Police are investigating after a woman was attacked and stabbed multiple times inside a New Jersey store Thursday afternoon.

The victim, identified by her family as 29-year-old Kerri Dalton of Keansburg, also had a baby with her inside the Middletown Bed Bath & Beyond store, when the attack occurred.

The alleged assailant, 19-year-old Tyrik Haynes, is accused of repeatedly plunging a knife into Dalton around 4 p.m., puncturing both her lungs in an apparent random attack.

A published report indicated that Haynes is being held on $1 million bail on an attempted murder charge.

Dalton was stabbed more than a dozen times and Medevaced to Jersey Shore Medical Center, where she remained in stable condition late Thursday night.

The baby was unhurt and was with family, Young reported.

The manager of the Staples store next door to the scene said she saw the assailant moments before the attack lurking about on the sidewalk.

“The guy was standing in front of our store, but…he was kinda weird. We didn’t pay no mind to it because we didn’t know who he was. He was a guy with a hood and then he walked over there and then he came like nothing happened and he just walked that way and then the lady came screaming, saying ‘Can you help me, can you help me. A lady got stabbed,'” Ana Palet said.

Detectives searched a nearby townhouse Thursday night. The location is where Haynes lives with his mother and younger sister. Neighbors were left scratching their heads.

“You just never know. Could be somebody right next door and you just never know,” neighbor Terry Blake said. “Seemed fine, always friendly.”

CBS 2’s Young reported that Haynes is known locally as a suspected animal abuser. Workers at the nearby Petco told Young the suspect used to come in to stare at the cats and that he is accused of adopting cats and setting them on fire.

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