Police are holding a suspect in the stabbing death of a woman at the Ewa Town Center this afternoon.

The woman, believed to be in her 40s, was stabbed at the center shortly before 2 p.m.

Bryan Cheplic, city emergency services spokesman, said the woman was taken to an area hospital where she died.

Collin Inong said the woman had gotten her hair done at Supercuts, then had bought some items at the Ewa Seed Co. when the attack took place.

Inong said he didn't see the attack, but was among the people who went to the injured woman's aid after she stumbled into a nearby nail salon.

He said she appeared to be injured on her arms and possibly her abdomen.

"She looked like she was losing a lot of blood," Inong said. "Her face was turning white."

Inong said the suspect was shirtless and "he looked mentally out of it."

He said the man "just kind of walked across Geiger (Road) toward Fort Weaver (Road)" and kept looking back.

Moses said the suspect was taken into custody on Fort Weaver Road, several hundred feet from the center.

Moses said police found a knife on Geiger Road.

As police swarmed the area, bloodstained towels sat on the floor in the entryway of the Lovely Nails II shop, where the victim went after she was attacked.

Dean Hashimoto, co-owner of Ewa Seed Co., said the victim purchased saimin and some Girls Day items from his store, then walked outside and sat on a bench to eat her food.

A short time later, Hashimoto said he walked outside to throw away some rubbish in a nearby bin. He noticed the woman was still on the bench eating.

He said the suspect then walked by him and they exchanged casual greetings.

Hashimoto said he went back into his store and a short time later, witnesses told him what had happened.

Hashimoto said he told police, "I'm pretty sure I thought I saw him throw something in the rubbish can."

When he and police searched the garbage can, they found what appeared to be a plastic cover for a long knife of about 8 inches, he said.

He described the suspect as of medium height, heavy-set, dark skin with a buzz cut.

He described the victim as middle-aged and slight and in her 40s.

"I don't think he even knows her to tell the truth," he said.

Hashimoto said the woman had been in his store a couple of times in the past. He said he had never seen the suspect before.