WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – The suspect in a Tuesday evening stabbing at an apartment complex in Watertown’s east end has been released from custody and may have been acting in self-defense, city police say.
The stabbing left three teens injured.
Detective Lieutenant Joe Donoghue tells 7 News that the 18-year-old suspect, who was armed with a knife, has been cooperative. He went with police willingly after they found him at Northland Plaza.
Donoghue says police are investigating the possibility he was acting in self-defense.
The Watertown Housing Authority, which runs Eastbrook Apartments, known for years as East Hills, is working to get police security camera footage.
The suspect was released from custody overnight. No charges have been filed.
“It appears that the three that grabbed onto the 18-year-old were part of this larger group and the 18-year-old was running away when they grabbed him,” said Donoghue.
Donoghue says that when police responded to Eastbrook Apartments, they found a 15-year-old boy with a stab wound to his leg.
The victim was taken to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse for treatment. Donoghue says it’s his understanding that the boy has been released.
Two other victims, 13 and 15 years old, were treated for less serious wounds at Samaritan Medical Center and have been released.
According to police, the 18-year-old suspect fled through the back of the complex where he discarded the knife. He was later located behind the buildings in the nearby Northland Plaza.
The knife has since been located.
Vannessa Marsha and Alexies Deline are friends with the three teenage boys who were stabbed.
“I never would think that that our friends would, like, get stabbed,” said Marsha.
“I don’t know how that all went down, but it’s just, like, scary. Other kids that live here, they shouldn’t have to see that stuff, you know,” said Deline.
Police are continuing their investigation.
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