SEATTLE– A suspect was taken into custody Friday after at least nine people were stabbed in random attacks in Seattle in 38 hours, police said.

The latest stabbing, in which five people were attacked Friday, occurred in the 1200 block of South Jackson Street, Seattle police said.

The unnamed suspect is believed to be connected to several recent stabbings, Seattle Deputy Police Chief Eric Barden told reporters at the news conference.

Barden said four of the five victims attacked Friday were transported to a local hospital under various conditions, one of whom was still armed with a knife. The fifth victim was treated at the scene and released, police said.

A man matching the description given by witnesses was located nearby and was arrested without incident, Barden said. It was stated that a gun was also seized from the suspect.

“This is a terrible tragedy, a mass casualty event,” Barden said.

In addition to the five victims in this incident, another five people were likely stabbed in the area over a roughly 38-hour period, according to Seattle police.

Police said the suspect is believed to be linked to four of those stabbings, with one still under investigation.

Police said the first incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday and saw a 52-year-old woman stabbed eight times.

Three more stabbings involving male victims occurred on Thursday, police said. Two of the victims were stabbed multiple times. The other victim told police the attacker tried to stab him in the chest, but he managed to block the attack, although he cut his hand, police said. The victim’s cell phone was also stolen, police said.

Another stabbing occurred early Friday, with one victim bleeding “heavily from his neck” and being transported to a local hospital in serious condition, police said.

Barden said beyond the robbery incident, the stabbings appeared to be “just random attacks.”

“This incident was an individual apparently committing random attacks over the course of 38 hours. This is an aberration. This is not normal at all,” Barden said. “I think we’re back to normal with a suspect in custody.”