BREAKING: Police detain suspect in Wayside stabbing
This is a developing story. Stay with CM Life for updates. Video below story.
Police have detained a suspect after a stabbing that took place at Wayside Central Feb. 22, according to a Central Alert.
The stabbing reportedly occurred just before midnight at Wayside Central, 2000 S. Mission Street.
Mount Pleasant police said the suspect will be identified after his arraignment. The arraignment is expected to take place Feb. 24. Central Michigan University officials confirmed the suspect is a CMU student.
Three people were sent to the hospital with unknown injuries, Mount Pleasant Police Sgt. Dale Hawks said. At least two of the victims are CMU students, university officials said.
A Central Alert dispatched at 12:15 a.m. said a suspect was still at-large and is a Native American male wearing a tan shirt and red baseball cap. However, Hawks later said the suspect's identity was inaccurate and that police did not have any leads on the suspect.
The stabbing remains under investigation.
Wayside Central was not shut down. The establishment is still running and charging cover, police said.
Wayside/O'Kelly's owner John Hunter said he was advised to stay open by police because it would ease the investigation process.
“I got here ten minutes after the fact. When I got there the music was already going and the place had a lot of police. Everyone was like, 'I think we’re good, I think we have everything we need.'" Hunter said. “I think the officers realize saying, ‘everyone needs to leave,’ would send everyone would have known about or been part of the situation out of the building at the same time."
A statement was posted on the Wayside Twitter and Facebook pages at around 10 a.m. that read: "First & foremost our number #1 concern is with the well being of the victim at this time. Our thoughts & prayers go out to him and his family during this time.It was a very serious injury & we do not have an update to the victims health status. We ask that you continue to pray.
Second, I want to commend the EMTs, Mount Pleasant Police Department as well as other law enforcement who assisted, and the Wayside Central staff for handling the situation swiftly and safely following the incident.
We worked diligently with enforcement and emergency personnel to secure the situation. We shut down at 1:27 following the news from the PD that the suspect had been apprehended. Prior to this, at the direction and advice of law enforcement, we maintained business operations to allow officers to create a perimeter and we assisted in gather information from witnesses as well as obtaining critical video surveillance. The goal was to not create additional panic, assist in finding an at large suspect, and the safety of those in the area. Please keep the victim in your prayers."
