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MIDVALE — An ongoing dispute between two young women led to one of them being stabbed by a man who used to date the victim, but is now dating the woman she was having the dispute with, police say.
Christopher Shawn Shaffer, 20, was arrested early Thursday for investigation of aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, using a dangerous weapon in a fight and making a threat of violence.
The investigation began about 10 p.m. Wednesday near 7690 S. Center Square when Unified police were called on a report of an assault.
"When officers arrived, they located a female victim who had been stabbed several times. The victim was transported to (a local) hospital in critical condition," a police booking affidavit states.
The teenage girl was reported to be "stable" Thursday, according to Unified police.
As police tried to sort through what happened, they learned that the girl and a woman had been involved in an ongoing dispute for at least two years. The victim's ex-boyfriend, Shaffer, is now dating the other woman involved in the dispute, according to police. That woman claims "she has been constantly harassed by the victim. The victim has sent her multiple threatening messages and voicemails," according to the affidavit.
The woman claims that on Wednesday, "the victim was threatening her via phone and said she was going to show up at her apartment," the affidavit states. "(She) said the victim came to her apartment and a fight ensued outside of the apartment."
The current girlfriend initially told police that she had stabbed the victim. But after interviewing witnesses and obtaining surveillance video, detectives learned that "during this fight, Christopher interjected himself into the fight and stabbed the victim in the back," the affidavit alleges. "Additional threats were heard by witnesses that Christopher was verbally stating he was going to kill the victim and the victim was going to die."
Witnesses said Shaffer stated he would shoot people, according to the affidavit.
After the stabbing, Shaffer went back into one of the apartments. A SWAT team was called out and he was eventually taken into custody about 5 a.m. Thursday.
