Man files false report of knifing
- Published: September 30, 2015
On Monday, Sept. 28, a local resident reported that he was attacked by a man with a knife while he was walking through Gaunt Park around 5 a.m. However, after two days of investigation and public speculation on social media, the Yellow Springs Police Department determined that the report was unfounded.
In a press release on Wednesday morning, Police Chief David Hale stated that the stabbing incident “did not happen as the alleged victim originally reported” and that the victim was “apologetic to both YSPD and the citizens of Yellow Springs.”
The release also indicates that the victim is seeking help from mental health professionals and the YSPD now considers the case closed.
Chief Hale was not available for comment about the release on Wednesday.
According to the initial report taken from the 52-year-old victim on Monday morning, the resident was walking through the park to retrieve propellers he thought he left at the park while he was flying his drone there the previous day. The victim then stated that he “looked up and saw the suspect,” whom he described as a six-foot male he did not know. He and the suspect had a “verbal interaction” before the perpetrator reportedly stabbed him several times in the abdominal area. The suspect then reportedly fled the scene.
After taking the initial report, police searched the park and surrounding neighborhood with a K-9 unit from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department and alerted the local schools about the reported incident.
According to Chief Hale on Tuesday, the victim’s story later changed slightly.
“The story has changed somewhat — there are some inconsistencies in the story,” Hale said.
Hale declined to speculate at the time on what the inconsistencies in the story might indicate.
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