St. Louis man charged in early Saturday stabbing at Arena Building

A St. Louis man has been charged with second-degree assault and armed criminal action in connection with a stabbing at the Arena Building.

Cape Girardeau police responded to a 911 call at 1:12 a.m. Saturday about a stabbing and riot underway at the Arena Building, according to police reports.

When officers arrived, they saw about 100 people running from the building and found another 200 to 300 people inside yelling and screaming, according to a written report by Sgt. Rodney Barker. The building was rented for the evening by the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at Southeast Missouri State University.

Anwar M. Douglas, 21, of St. Louis is in custody, and his bond has been set at $50,000 by Associate Circuit Judge Peter L. Statler.

According to the arrest warrant, Douglas stabbed Joshua A. Martin-Johnson with a pocketknife.

Patrolman Shaun Smelser arrived to find Martin-Johnson stabbed in the left side of his abdomen.

The victim was transported to Saint Francis Medical Center, where it was determined he would need surgery, Smelser wrote in the statement. Police saw blood on Douglas' shirt and a cut on his left hand, according to the statement.

Martin-Johnson told police his brother, Rico Martin, was having problems with Douglas.

Douglas approached him and struck him in the stomach, then dropped the knife, Martin-Johnson told police.

Officers recovered a knife with blood on it matching Martin-Johnson's description of the weapon in the building.

mmiller@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

410 Kiwanis Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO