A 14-year-old girl was arrested Saturday night after allegedly stabbing a 20-year-old male at the foot of Baker Street.
Just after 11 p.m., Nelson Police Department officers were called to the area near the weekend carnival that set up at the west end of downtown.
Upon arrival, officers were asked by several youth gathered in the area to attend to a stabbing victim. At that time several witnesses pointed a female youth allegedly responsible for the attack.
“It’s shocking for sure,” said NPD Inspector Henry Paivarinta. “But in a community like ours, it doesn’t matter whether they are 14 or 54, when somebody resorts to using a knife to inflict serious bodily harm on an another individual… that’s always concerning.”
Police say the alleged attack was a spillover from a couple of groups getting in a conflict at the West Coast Amusements fair that was in town for the weekend.
“It’s friends standing up for friends,” said Paivarinta. “But when you resort to pulling out a knife, then you have taken it a completely different level. It’s one thing for friends to stand up and support another individual who may be being picked on or targeted, but you don’t come to somebody’s aid by pulling out a knife or threatening people with a knife.”
Police arrested the female youth for assault with a weapon and uttering death threats.
The 20-year-old male victim was transported by paramedics to Kootenay Lake Hospital where he was treated and released with minor injuries.
Police also arrested a 20-year-old male on the scene for assault. He was released with conditions.
Though police reported several incidents that stemmed from the carnival site over the weekend, Paivarinta is not blaming the event itself.
“I don’t know if you can specifically link it to the carnival,” he said. “Any type of activity that is going on, whether it be a concert or carnival or a special event that brings large groups of people together, it increases the likelihood that there may be some sort of conflict or confrontation. It was a spillover, but I don’t want to point fingers specifically at the carnival.”
The officers who attended the scene on Saturday night were thankful for the help of the young people involved in the incident.
“Nelson police would like to thank several young witnesses for their patience, exemplary behavior and cooperation during this complex investigation,” police stated in a Sunday morning press release.