Kansas City man needs 50 stitches after knife attack

A man needed 50 stitches after another man slashed his face with a knife early Thursday.

The incident occurred about 1 a.m. in the 1300 block of Independence Avenue.

The 27-year-old victim told police he and a friend were walking home from a store, and they had just arrived at his front steps when a man started hitting him. The victim swung at the attacker to fight back. The attacker pulled a knife and slashed it across the victim’s cheek. The friend ran inside and called for help.

When officers arrived, the victim tried to stand up and passed out. An ambulance took him to a hospital. Police believe he knew his attacker.

This story was originally published January 9, 2014 at 11:20 AM with the headline "Kansas City man needs 50 stitches after knife attack."