9 injured, including refugees, in stabbing at Idaho apartment complex

John Bacon USA TODAY

Published 1:58 p.m. UTC Jul 1, 2018

A knife-wielding attacker slashed nine people in an Idaho apartment complex that provides housing to refugees, Boise police said Sunday.

Police Chief William Bones said officers were called to the complex Saturday night and quickly found the suspect not far from the site of the attack. The suspect, identified as a 30-year-old male, was taken into custody without further incident and was being interviewed by detectives, Bones said.

The victims were found in the parking lot and inside the complex. Four of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, Bones said.

He said officers were trying to determine why the suspect targeted the victims.

“As you can imagine the witnesses in the apartment complex along with the rest of our community are reeling from this attack," Bones said. "This incident is not a representation of our community but a single evil individual who attacked people without provocation that we are aware of at this time."

Police victim witness coordinators and counselors were assisting the families, he said.

"Our hearts go out to the victims who are in the hospital," Bone said "Please keep them and their families in your thoughts and prayers."

He said the number of victims was the most in a single incident in city history. The knife used in the stabbing was discarded by the suspect prior to his arrest, and police searched the complex and a nearby canal for the weapon.

Early Sunday morning there were still dozens of police cars and officers at the apartment complex. The parking lot was dotted with yellow markers showing where victims and evidence were found.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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