A stabbing in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood early Wednesday appears to be a random act of violence, according to Montreal police.

"It seems that we are in the presence of a random crime and the victim was unknown to the suspect," said Const. André Leclerc.

"The victim was at the wrong place at the wrong time."

A 27-year-old woman is in stable condition after being attacked with a sharp-edged weapon on Monkland Avenue near Girouard Avenue around 12:45 a.m.

Officers arrived on the scene to find her suffering from upper body injuries.

She was taken to hospital in critical condition. Her condition has been upgraded to stable and her life is no longer considered in danger.

Police say her attacker fled the scene.

Officers apprehended a 25-year-old man nearby with the help of a police dog team. Police said the suspect may have been under the influence of a substance.

He's expected to appear in court tomorrow and be charged with attempted murder.

The suspect is known to police, Leclerc said.

Victim a member of Jewish community

Rabbi Yisroel Bernath, from Chabad NDG, confirmed to CBC that the victim is a member of Montreal's Jewish community.

Bernath, who visited her in hospital Wednesday afternoon, said the community is in shock.

"It's really scary. It was completely random," Bernath said, adding that her family has asked for privacy.

NDG resident Sylvie Charlebois said the incident left her shaken.

"I'm shocked because it's very quiet. It's family-oriented, so we never have things like that around here," she said.

Guylaine Cyr works in NDG and said the attack makes her worry for her own safety when walking to her office.

"It doesn't make me feel safe to just walk around anymore. It's just not very pleasant," she said.