Germantown Avenue hair-salon employee stabbed in the arm during robbery attempt

On Wednesday afternoon, police responding to an attempted robbery call at a Germantown hair salon ended up investigating a stabbing.

Police said that around 4 p.m., 44-year-old Michael Lewis entered the Dominican High Explosion Hair Salon at 6100 Germantown Ave. in an alleged attempt to rob one of the salon’s employees.

Witnesses reported that Lewis and the victim allegedly exchanged words before the suspect stabbed the victim in the upper arm.

An ambulance arrived within minutes, but Lewis had already run off.

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In the tense moments afterward, someone from a neighboring business ignored the crime-scene tape and dumped a bucket of water on the sidewalk where the blood had fallen. (“You can not do that! Why are you even over here?” yelled one policeman at the neighbor who apologetically explained she didn’t know she couldn’t do so.)

The victim told police that he did not know the assailant, who was later seen hiding behind bushes near the scene. When witnesses identified Lewis as the suspect, he took off running with police giving chase.

Lewis, who police identified as homeless, was caught within 15 minutes and charged with aggravated assault, robbery and other charges.

The victim was taken to an area hospital where he received five stitches. On Thursday afternoon, he was back to work sweeping with a bandage covering his upper arm.

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