On Saturday evening (Oct. 3, 2015), a young woman was stabbed at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in MOn Saturday evening (Oct. 3, 2015), a young woman was stabbed at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Mesa. According to Mesa police, the victim was a woman in her 20s. The woman is in critical condition, but she is stable, NBC 12 reported. The perpetrator stabbed the woman in the neck. At this point, the authorities do not believe that the victim knew her attacker. Mesa police have arrested the man suspected of the stabbing on Saturday night. The suspect is identified as E. Sharp, 23. According to the authorities, after the attack took place, group counseling members took matters into their own hands by restraining the attacker. The members managed to contain the male suspect until Mesa police arrived at the scene and took the suspect into custody. The police have yet to release the motive for the attack. The police and detectives on the case continue to investigate the incident, and what motivated the suspect to attack.
Arizona’s Aggravated Assault Statute
Under ARS 13-1204d, a person commits aggravated assault if they:
- Cause serious physical injury,
- Use a dangerous weapon or dangerous instrument,
- If they cause temporary, but substantial disfigurement,
- If they assault the victim while he or she is bound,
- If they commit the assault after entering another’s private home with the intention of committing an assault,
- If the perpetrator is at least 18 years of age and the victim is under the age of 15, or
- If the person committing the assault is in violation of a protection order.
If a person commits aggravated assault and they cause serious physical injury or use a dangerous weapon, it can be prosecuted as a Class 3 felony or a Class 2 felony depending on the facts of the case. To illustrate, the penalty ranges for a Class 2 felony (first offense) in Arizona ranges from 3 to 12.5 years in prison. To learn more about Arizona’s felony penalties, you can read ARS 13-702.
Contact a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer
Are you facing aggravated assault charges? If so, contact the Davidson Criminal Defense & DUI Law Firm, PLC to discuss your case with a former prosecutor who is on your side. Call now for a free case evaluation!
