The suspect is arrested in this photo taken by a passer-by.

A supermarket employee ran up to the Victoria police station trailing blood after he was stabbed yesterday morning and a 77-year-old man was later charged with the crime.

The incident took place at The Duke’s shopping complex, outside which Antonio Borg, of Żebbuġ, Gozo, was arrested shortly afterwards.

He was charged before Magistrate Paul Coppini of seriously injuring a 29-year-old, also of Żebbuġ, at 9.15am.

The police said the injured man, who was not named, had intervened to calm an argument between Mr Borg and the owner of the supermarket, who had prevented the accused from entering his shop for the second time in a week.

Last week, the police were called to the complex after Mr Borg got aggressive on being told he was not allowed into supermarket with his bag because of a suspicion that he was shoplifting.

The police then warned Mr Borg not to return to The Duke’s.

But yesterday he returned and the supermarket owner immediately recognised him. He reminded him that he was not allowed inside and had been warned by the police not to stay away.

An argument ensued between the two and, when the victim intervened, he was slashed in the arm with a knife, the police said.

He ran out of the complex holding his bleeding arm and raced up the road towards the police station, leaving blood spatters in his wake.

A woman who was sitting at a coffee shop inside the complex told Times of Malta that she heard a lot of screaming and saw several people run towards the exit, followed by a man whose top was covered in blood.

“I was here, reading the newspaper, when I heard screams and saw people running for the door. Then I saw a man holding his arm and blood gushing out.

“All I could hear him say was ‘aħħ, aħħ’ and he ran up to the police station. I did not see what had happened but saw lots of blood on the ground near the escalators,” said the woman, who did not want to be named.

An ambulance rushed the employee to the Gozo General Hospital where he was treated for serious injuries, the police said. Mr Borg was arrested by the police outside the busy shopping centre and they seized a knife allegedly used in the attack.

He was also charged with being in possession of a sharp and pointed instrument without a police licence and breaching the peace.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody.

The police are also in possession of closed circuit camera footage which captured the whole incident.