Stabbing reported at Deerfield apartments early Sunday morning
At least two people were stabbed outside Deerfield Apartments early Sunday morning, according to residents.
The alleged suspect, described to be six-feet tall and about 250 pounds, wore a blue American Eagle shirt. The names of the alleged suspect and the victims have not been released by police. The medical conditions of the alleged suspect and victims are unknown.
According to witnesses, a fight broke out at about 1 a.m. near Building G as the alleged suspect attacked those who surrounded and tried to keep him calm.
“People were everywhere, the suspect pulled a knife and things obviously escalated from there,” said Kyle Thompson, a Shelby Township senior. “Police came and I saw the suspect head-butt a victim. That’s what started the fight to begin with.”
Zach McCallum, a St. Clair junior, said the alleged suspect pulled a knife and chased after people.
About 50 people were in the parking lot between the ‘G’ and ‘H’ apartments, said Farmington junior Woody Gioia. Gioia said five people jumped the man as he pulled out his knife and broke bottles over the knife-wielding man’s head.
Gioia said he heard the bottles break over the man’s head.
A spot of blood drops, about five feet wide, could be seen on the pavement near Building G on Sunday, with trails of blood drops leading to other spots. It was not clear if the blood came from the victims or the alleged suspect.
“I was holding him off because he was trying to hit my friend,” McCallum said.
Witnesses said the alleged suspect wasn't a CMU student or Deerfield resident. McCallum said the alleged suspect had been kicked out of a cab as it stopped in the complex because he had put out a cigarette on another person in the vehicle. Central Michigan Life could not confirm that claim after calls to eight taxi companies Sunday.
Deerfield residents, finding that those involved could not settle the situation, reached out to police.
“I was in my room and getting ready for bed when I heard noises outside,” said Kyle Liwak, a Farmington senior. “I called the Isabella County Sheriff’s office, the non-emergency number, and told them they should probably get an officer over here.”
Ten minutes later, a Michigan State police car arrived.
“(People) pointed one kid out and the police told him to get on the ground,” Liwak said.
After the police left with the alleged suspect, some continued to party in Deerfield. Others were shaken by the incident.
“People were freaked out,” McCallum said. “... For it to happen here where it doesn’t really happen, it freaked people out. I’ve seen some merciless beat downs but nothing quite like that.”
Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski and CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley did not know anything about the incident when reached for comment Sunday. An official with the Michigan State Police said the department would not comment on the incident until Monday.
Keep checking cm-life.com for more on this developing story.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in Central Michigan Life.