Full Notification

(Windsor Heights, IA) At approximately 3:25PM on Thursday, February 5th, the Windsor Heights Police Department responded to Wal-Mart located at 1001 73rd St. for the report of a stabbing. Officers arrived on scene and located an adult male victim with a traumatic injury to his throat lying on the Walnut Creek bike trail at the south end of the Wal-Mart complex. After suffering the injury the victim’s ability to speak was significantly inhibited; however, he did offer a basic suspect description of a white male assailant. This information was passed on to responding officers and mutual aid was requested from surrounding jurisdictions to set up a perimeter. An area canvas for the suspect and evidence was conducted and a police canine was also used. Nothing of significant evidentiary value was located during the area search, and the report of a fleeing suspect could not be corroborated. Supporting jurisdictions were subsequently released from the incident. The crime scene was isolated and processed. During the course of this processing the weapon believed to have been utilized in the stabbing was located.
Throughout the course of the evening and night investigators worked to explore all possible leads, interview witnesses, positively identify the victim, and review digital surveillance footage made available from local retailers as well as footage from nearby Colby Park. As the investigation continued, inconsistencies materialized. At this time investigators are working all angles of the case to include the possibility that the injury was self-inflicted.
Presently the victim is in stable condition at a local hospital and detectives are working to gather additional details from him. His identity has not been confirmed at the time of this release.
The Windsor Heights Police Department encourages any person who may have been on or around the Walnut Creek bike trail near Wal-Mart yesterday afternoon between the hours of 3:00PM - 3:30PM to contact law enforcement at 277-4453 or 286-3333.
The Police Department wants to reinforce to the public and business community in Windsor Heights that based upon the investigation thus far, it does not appear that an unknown assailant randomly attacked a shopper at a local retailer nor was the victim arbitrarily targeted while using the recreational trail system.
The investigation into this matter continues.