Police search for suspect after man stabbed at 24 Hour Fitness in Miami Gardens

A suspect is at large after he stabbed a man during an argument Thursday at a 24 Hour Fitness in Miami Gardens, police said.

The incident happened before 7 p.m. at the gym along Northwest 27th Avenue.

Police said the two men were arguing when one of them pulled out a knife and stabbed the other.

The victim was able to make it outside, where off-duty officers helped. He was airlifted to Aventura Hospital in critical but stable condition, police said.

Police are still searching for the attacker, who they said fled from the rear of the business and into an apartment complex next door.

24 Hour Fitness confirmed in a statement that the stabbing happened at one of their locations.

“Our thoughts are with the victim, and we hope for a speedy recovery,” the statement said in part, adding that they couldn’t comment on an active police investigation.

Luis Portalatin and his family live in the apartment complex and were on the balcony when they saw people running, then police.

“We don’t know if that person lives here or not but they shut down one of the buildings,” Portalatin said. “Me thinking that someone that may have caused this lives here is very disturbing for me to know.”

People showed up to the gym Thursday night only to turn around. Betty Belair said she planned to get to the gym an hour earlier, but was glad that she didn’t.

“The Holy Spirit said that’s the connection, that’s why I stalled you, I didn’t want you involved, I kept you out of harm’s way,” Belair said.