Three stabbed in North Spokane, one man in critical condition; knife recovered

Three men in northeast Spokane were stabbed several times Wednesday night, and one was fighting for his life, police said. Officers swarmed the neighborhood around the 1400-block of East Broad Avenue, a block north of Rogers High School, about 8:30 p.m. after the three adult males were stabbed in the street in front of a home, said police Lt. Craig Meidl. Neighbors reported that at least one of the victims lives in the house. About an hour and a half later, police converged at a home at 544 E. Rich Ave. where they talked to a man they say was involved in the incident and recovered a knife. Meidl said the man, who had minor injuries, gave a different version of events than what officers were told at the scene on Broad. He was driven away in a police car to be interviewed. Officers also planned to talk to the man’s girlfriend. Police and neighbors on Broad said the violence may have been linked to a fight that was sparked earlier in the evening when the victims who were later stabbed confronted the man after he damaged a car – though police said they couldn’t find a car with damage. The stabber apparently left the scene of the fight and returned, neighbors said. Meidl said when police arrived on Broad, two victims were near the sidewalk and one was in a yard. They suffered multiple wounds to their arms, legs, torsos and backs. All had serious injuries. One was critically injured. Kevin Klein, who lives nearby on Broad, said he witnessed the earlier fight. Witnesses reported that the stabber was with a woman. “From what I understand, he’s the one who came back and stabbed them,” Klein said. Police said it appeared that the stabber and victims did not know each other previous to Wednesday.