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MIDVALE — A South Jordan man is facing criminal charges accusing him of stabbing his ex-girlfriend as she was fighting with his current girlfriend.
Christopher Shawn Shaffer, 20, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with attempted murder, a first-degree felony; plus six counts of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon by a restricted person, third-degree felonies.
On March 20, Unified police officers responded to a report of a domestic violence assault in Midvale near 7690 S. Center Square. An injured woman was found inside a food truck.
Detectives learned that the woman, who was stabbed three times after being chased by Shaffer who was holding a knife, is Shaffer's ex-girlfriend, according to charging documents.
On that night, the victim went to the residence of Shaffer's current 17-year-old girlfriend. The two women had been involved in an ongoing dispute and got into a verbal fight and then a physical fight, the charges say.
"During the altercation both (girls) ended up on the ground and (the victim) said while on the ground, Shaffer struck her in the face. (She) said she tried to walk away, but Shaffer pushed her back down, and believed it was at this time Shaffer stabbed her in the back," charging documents allege.
The victim says Shaffer then "chased her with the knife as she ran away and it 'was like a horror movie,'" the charges state.
As the victim tried to drive away with her friends, Shaffer and the current girlfriend followed. They ended up a short distance away in a parking lot with a food truck. It was there where witnesses say the victim, who was covered in blood, sought help while Shaffer threatened to shoot all the bystanders in the parking lot, according to charging documents.
A man working in the food truck saw Shaffer was still holding a knife "and threatening them, so he grabbed (the victim) and put her inside the food truck. (He) described seeing a deep wound in (her) back, she was screaming in pain, and was in and out of consciousness," the court documents say.
Shaffer was on probation at the time of the stabbing for a prior conviction of failing to stop at the command of police, according to prosecutors.
"Along with this probation case, (Shaffer) has pending justice court cases in Murray, South Jordan and Holladay. (Shaffer) has a history of failing to appear and warrants were issued in each pending matter, dating back to 2022. Furthermore, (Shaffer) has an extensive juvenile criminal history, including a violent felony offense," prosecutors noted.
