Officers with the McAllen Police Department arrested a 60-year-old woman they say stabbed an employee at the Las Palmas Community Center.

Esmeralda Rodriguez was arrested Thursday after she arrived at the center at around 8 a.m. and stabbed an employee with a knife before running away, according to a news release from the McAllen Police Department.

Police detained Rodriguez at the 2400 block of Tamarack Street where she became combative with officers and began spitting on them, the release stated.

Rodriguez is a suspect in a separate case of aggravated assault that occurred on Wednesday, police said.

In a statement, the city of McAllen said the employee received wounds that appeared “non-life threatening.” The statement can be read in full below:

“An employee working at the City of McAllen Las Palmas Community Center was assaulted on Thursday morning, November 17, 2022, by an individual who was quickly apprehended by McAllen Police and taken into custody.  The employee was transported to an area hospital with wounds that appear to be non-life-threatening.  No other person was harmed during the incident. 

The Las Palmas Community Center remains safe and fully open for business without interruption of service to the public. 

The City of McAllen is grateful to the Las Palmas Community Center Staff and members of the public who assisted law enforcement in the swift apprehension of the suspect and that there were no further injuries.  Additionally, the City of McAllen offers prayers for the speedy recovery of the Las Palmas Community Center’s employee.”