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SALT LAKE CITY — Charges were filed Wednesday against a man who police say stabbed four people near the downtown homeless shelter, critically injuring one of them.
The charges against Christopher J. Robertson, 30, allege he stabbed a man who saw Robertson was outnumbered in a physical confrontation and came to his side because "he wanted to help."
The Sept. 20 ordeal at 251 S. 500 West allegedly began as a dispute over Robertson stealing property.
He is charged in 3rd District Court with two counts of aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, a second-degree felony; and class A misdemeanor failure to stop at the command of police.
Robertson, who court documents say is homeless, allegedly threatened to stab a woman who had confronted him over a bag of belongings. The woman brought over a relative, and Robertson attacked him, charges state.
"(The victim) said he felt himself get hit in the chest and realized when he saw blood that he had been stabbed," court documents state.
The woman who had confronted Robertson told police that a "crowd of people became angry" at him after his attempted theft, according to court documents.
"Robertson started swinging what appeared to be a box cutter style knife at anyone who came close, and stabbed them. … (Another victim) said Robertson was outnumbered and he wanted to help him," the charges state. "As the (victim) approached, Robertson stabbed (him) twice in the chest and side."
Both victims referenced in court documents were hospitalized. In all, Robertson stabbed four people, police said, critically injuring one of them and seriously injuring another.
Charging documents say a police officer recovered a knife at 310 S. 500 West that "was stained with blood and had hair stuck to it."
Robertson was admitted to the hospital for minor injuries before being transported to the Salt Lake County Jail.
Robertson, who was released from the Utah State Prison in May, according to the Department of Corrections, was being held there Wednesday. Court records indicate he was convicted of two counts of aggravated robbery in 2005, attempted assault by a prisoner in 2008, and domestic-violence related assault in 2012.
Court records also show Robertson was convicted of damaging prison property for a 2013 incident in which he kicked out the window of a Utah State Prison vehicle on I-15, saying he was not going to go back to prison. The vehicle sustained more than $1,300 in damage in that incident.
