A victim is in critical condition and a suspect is on the loose after a stabbing Sunday afternoon near Moore Square and City Market in downtown Raleigh.

A large section of Blount Street is closed with yellow police tape and a large police presence.

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Police said two men were having a confrontation in the cross walk area on the Moore Square side of the bus station.

The victim suffered a stab wound in the upper chest and neck area then fled into the bus station and collapsed there, according to police.

He was conscious and alert when Raleigh police arrived, and he was taken to the hospital, where he is in critical, but stable condition.

The suspect is not in custody as of Sunday night, according to police. Detectives are reviewing footage and looking for the stabbing suspect.

Raleigh plans to hire private security to combat rising crime in downtown

This stabbing is not the first to happen in this area in the last month. Earlier in September, a man was stabbed near the GoRaleigh bus station just across from Moore Square.

Crime has gotten so bad in downtown Raleigh that the city plans to hire private security to help police patrol parts of the city.

Moore Square is one of the main areas where private security will assist police – along with Wilmington Street, Blount Street, Market Plaza and Exchange Plaza – not far from Fayetteville Street or Moore Square.

Eve-Katherine Pithey, who moved out of Raleigh because of the crime, said she wasn't surprised by what happened today.

"Hearing there's a stabbing, I wasn't necessarily surprised," Pithey said. "To hear that they haven't caught the suspect and people are still freely walking around was a little concerning for me."

Pithey said she used to come to downtown a lot, but now avoids it for her safety.

"When you come out of the bar, you get harassed by people," Pithey said. "It doesn't really feel safe. It just kind of throws the entire experience."

Business owners and residents say they are nervous about the increase of drug dealing, fighting in the streets and harassment in parts of downtown. Others say they've dealt with people running through businesses and harassing employees.

"Most people are worried about Glenwood, but Glenwood is a lot of kids," said Angelo Velazquez, a resident who works near the crime scene. "That's really what's going on over there. Over here it's actually like high-level crime."

Metrics show an enormous spike in crime in the areas where private security would patrol.

According to a report from last month, there have been a total of 381 crimes reported in the past 8 months – an increase of 60% over the same span of time last year.

There have also been 140 drug violations and 82 assaults reported. There are also 21 reports of vandalism and 21 reports of disorderly conduct.

The crime has escalated into violence and even death.

Despite the recent statistics, Velazquez believes the increase in crime is due to an increase in jobs and people,

"I don't think anybody should be deterred from downtown Raleigh, especially at your favorite spots when you know you're safe," he said.