Man accused in stabbing at U of M Morris said he was "trying to kill" percussion instructor, charges say

A 21-year-old man is facing four charges in connection with a stabbing at the University of Minnesota Morris on Tuesday, court records show.

A university public safety officer responded to the incident at the Humanities Fine Arts building around 4:02 p.m., according to a criminal complaint. He found a witness holding a door closed that leads to several music practice rooms.

The witness told the officer the attacker was in one of the rooms, the court document said. The officer also found the victim, who was bleeding from the arm. They were later taken to a hospital.

According to the complaint, additional officers later arrived and officials called for the individual in the room, later identified as the 21-year-old man, to come out with his hands up. He stepped out and was taken into custody. The court document says a knife was found in one of the rooms. 

The man was taken to a hospital to be treated for a cut, according to the complaint. There, he told a doctor he was "trying to kill" his percussion instructor and stabbed his pinky, the court document says. It went on to say that he also told medical personnel he had the knife in his hand and that he was "trying to stab" the victim in the neck and heart. 

The man later told investigators that "all his life he had a monster inside of him that he kept buried," but that it came out on Tuesday, the complaint said. He added that he had bought the knife on Monday and that he hated the victim because he was a "goodie two shoes," according to the court document. 

When asked why he attacked the victim, the man said, "I had the knife in my pocket, and I was planning, and I did it," the complaint said.

The victim had "two or three" cuts on their head and stab injuries on their arm, according to the court document.

The man is charged with one count each of first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault, and two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, court records show.

If convicted, he faces up to 57 years in prison.