A firefighter was slashed with a knife while rushing to help the victim of a robbery on Fillmore Street in New Haven, according to police.
Police at the scene said a couple followed the victim, who was walking home from Ferry Street just before 4:45 p.m. Friday, and asked to use her cellphone, claiming to be homeless.
When the woman realized they planned to steal her phone, she confronted them, at which point the man stabbed her in the hand, according to police.
An off-duty firefighter who was in the area noticed the commotion and intervened. He, too, was stabbed in the hand, but helped stop the would-be robbers with the help of another passerby, police said.
The suspects, Radames River and Brittany Estep, were arrested and charged with assault, robbery and larceny.
The firefighter and victim were taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries, according to police.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident.
