Woman is stabbed at Wal-Mart

Thursday, May 25, 2006

SIKESTON - A woman was assaulted Wednesday afternoon at the general merchandise entrance to Wal-Mart.

According to Department of Public Safety Captain Mark Crocker, Rose McClendon, 49, of Charleston, was walking toward the entrance when she was approached from behind and stabbed in the right shoulder. She reacted by turning suddenly and knocking the knife from the suspect's hand, and then stood on the knife while the suspect walked away.

Witnesses notified Wal-Mart authorities, who immediately contacted DPS.

The suspect was caught in less than two minutes after the call was received. A witness who followed the suspect from Wal-Mart waved responding officers down and identified the suspect who was taken into custody without incident. The knife believed to be used in the assault was recovered and DPS detectives are still looking into a motive for the crime. At present, neither the victim nor the suspect indicated knowing each other prior to this incident.

"Right now it seems like one of those senseless crimes where someone was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Crocker said.

The suspect's identity will be released after charges for assault and armed criminal action are filed in New Madrid County.

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