Screams and cries for help rang out on Front Street yesterday morning as an American visitor was stabbed in broad daylight.

Last night the victim, 38-year-old Illinois resident Scott Jable, was flown off the Island by air ambulance to be treated for serious abdomen injuries.

Mr. Jable, who was on vacation with his wife and young child, was walking outside The Bees Knees gift shop with his wife and child when he was attacked.

According to Police, at 9.35 a.m. a man ran up to the tourist and stabbed him from behind in the abdomen.

The terrified man and his wife shrieked and screamed, while the alleged 23-year-old assailant took off on foot, but was soon arrested by Police outside the courts on Parliament Street.

The victim and his family were taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and last night he was airlifted to a hospital in Chicago.

"The injuries are serious and an overseas opinion will be sought," said Police spokesman Dwayne Caines.

The unprovoked attack not only shocked the visiting family, but many nearby shop assistants who were close to the scene. Sales staff from nearby A.S. Coopers described how they rushed to the scene of the stabbing.

One assistant said: "I rushed outside when I heard the screams and the man was screaming 'somebody stabbed me, I've been stabbed, somebody stabbed me'. His wife was petrified and screaming. Then the baby, seeing his parents screaming, got very upset and started crying from his carriage."

Another saleswoman said: "We heard someone scream. At first we thought it was just some girls mucking about but then it didn't stop. I went outside and there was a man flat on his back with another man over him. It looked like he was trying to console him. I saw a baby carriage right next to the man but there was no baby inside."

When contacted by The Royal Gazette, Tourism Minister Renee Webb said: "We sent a representative to the Hospital to the family and asked if there was anything we could do to help."

A 23 year old man of no fixed abode was being held in Police custody last night in connection with th incident.

Premier Jennifer Smith expressed her regret over the stabbing, calling the incident "deplorable".

In a press release through the Department of Communication and Information, Ms Smith said moments after she heard about the unprovoked attack, her initial reaction was to ensure that the Jable family was being made as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.

"On behalf of the Government and the people of Bermuda, I want Mr. Scott Jable and his family to know that our thoughts and prayers go out to them.

"I'm sure that I speak for "I'm sure that I speak for all Bermudians when I say that we pride ourselves on our hospitable, gentle and friendly nature, and this uncharacteristic occurrence is extremely disturbing," Ms Smith said.

While she said that no one should have to endure acts of violence, Ms Smith said she was particularly saddened that Mr. Jable was a visitor to the Island.

Ms Smith also commended the Bermuda Police Service for its quick actions which led to the apprehension of the alleged attacker just moments after the incident occurred.

"I am confident that the Police will do all within their power to ensure that the individual involved is brought swiftly to justice," she said.