Nunez Lennox, 28, of Revere, was arrested in Leominster shortly after the attack, Massachusetts State Troopers said. Authorities charged him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in the allegedly random incident. Lennox was being held on a $50,000 bail, authorities said.
The attack happened at Planet Fitness on Victoria Street in Gardner just before 10:30 a.m. Police said Lennox stabbed the man in the chest and sped away in his Honda Civic.
A state trooper spotted the car a few minutes later in Fitchburg and pulled him over on Route 2. Police found an "edged weapon" in the Civic, but it's unclear if it was used in the attack.
Paramedics flew the victim to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester to treat his injuries. Authorities did not release any information on his condition Wednesday afternoon.
Becky Zirlen, senior director of communications for Planet Fitness, said that the company would investigate what happened and work with investigators.
"At Planet Fitness, the safety and security of our members and staff is always our top priority," Zirlen said in a statement. "We take these types of incidents extremely seriously, and the local Planet Fitness franchise owner is actively working with authorities in their investigation. We refer you to the local police for additional questions."
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