Advertisement Man arrested after 'random attack' with butcher knife downtown Victim's face, neck cut in attack Share Shares Copy Link Copy

One man is hospitalized, another in police custody after what police said was a random attack in downtown Cincinnati.Cincinnati police said Howard Martin III, 41, attacked another man with a butcher knife near the Hamilton County Courthouse on shortly after 9 a.m. Friday.The attack happened in front of the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office near the intersection of Ninth and Sycamore streets.Watch this story"The witnesses and the victim all had the same story - there was no conversation, they did not know each other and he didn't say anything, he just approached the victim and started slashing with a large butcher knife," Sgt. Scott Albert said.Several people witnessed the attack, including at least two men who followed the suspect around the corner after the attack.Police took Martin into custody near the courthouse. He was kept in a cruiser at the scene while police interviewed witnesses.Police said the victim, identified as Micheal DiPiccio, and witnesses told the same story – that the crime was unprovoked.Police recovered the knife under a van in a parking lot less than a block away from the attack.With so many government buildings nearby, authorities said it’s unusual for a crime of this nature to take place.“Between the sheriff’s presence, the Cincinnati Police and the security for these buildings and the cameras, this is one of the worst to commit a crime in the entire downtown area,” Albert said.The Central Business District, which runs from the river to Central Parkway is a relatively safe area. There have been 16 assaults in this area so far this year, during the same period last year there were 14 assaults.“Your chances of getting away are slim, especially in broad daylight during morning business hours,” Albert said.Police said DiPiccio suffered non-life-threatening wounds to his face and neck. He was taken to UC Medical Center for treatment.Martin is charged with felonious assault.He is being held on $400,000.