Cop-attacker charged with stabbing in separate case

A MAN WHO was shot by a police officer in West Philly Saturday morning after allegedly beating the cop with his own baton allegedly stabbed someone at a Southwest Philly shelter three days earlier, police said Thursday.

Sidney Clayton, 31, is now charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and related offenses in the stabbing, Officer Jillian Russell, a police spokeswoman, said.

The stabbing occurred about 7:30 a.m. May 16 at the Outley House men's shelter on Woodland Avenue near 69th Street.

Clayton "got in a verbal altercation with [a shelter resident] and stabbed him multiple times on the right side," said Russell. The victim, 45, was hospitalized.

A source with knowledge of the case said that Clayton had been staying at the shelter for about four months until he stabbed the other resident with a "dull knife." He said that Clayton fled the shelter that day.

The source said that Clayton had some kind of mental illness but hadn't been taking his medications. He called Clayton "a walking time bomb."

Belinda Bradley, the shelter's program manager, said that she could not speak about Clayton because of confidentiality concerns.

Police said that the shelter had reported the stabbing and that a warrant for Clayton's arrest had been issued. Police arrested and charged Clayton with the stabbing after his violent encounter with a cop on Saturday.

About 10:30 a.m. that day, Clayton allegedly tried to steal a man's backpack near the Park West Town Center, at 52nd and Jefferson streets. Clayton, described as about 300 pounds and more than 6 feet tall, punched a cop who had come to help. police said.

During a struggle, Clayton allegedly beat the cop with the cop's baton. The officer then shot Clayton several times. He was in fair condition Thursday at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.