New Details on Double Stabbing at Basketball Game at Clark U. Gym

An 18-year-old man appeared in court Wednesday morning following a stabbing that injured two people at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Investigators say it happened during a basketball game inside the school's gym on Downing Street around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The victims, ages 17 and 23, were taken to an area hospital, police said.

Police arrested 18-year-old Knowledge Bethea, who was arraigned on including armed assault to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, officials said. He was held without bail ahead of a dangerousness hearing Tuesday.

According to court paperwork, Bethea admitted to police he stabbed the two people and led them to the weapon. Neither Bethea nor the two victims are students, according to authorities.

Worcester Police Lt. Sean Murtha said Tuesday that one of the victim's injuries were life-threatening, while the other's were serious but non-life-threatening.

Officials said the victims were both stable on Wednesday. One was stabbed in the back, the other in the bicep and the side.

- Both victims stable at hospital
- 1 victim had wound that entered chest cavity, the other victim was “in and out of consciousness”

— Darren Botelho (@DarrenBotelho) April 19, 2023

While police had said they were still looking for one more person, the university said Wednesday that police told them there was just one attacker.

Clark University released this statement Wednesday:

We are grateful for the swift response from our Clark University and Worcester police departments. At this point, the police have confirmed that the situation last evening began when a fight broke out on the basketball court, involving a group of individuals not affiliated with Clark University. Two of those individuals sustained knife injuries and were transported to an area hospital. Initially, there were reports of multiple suspects, however police have now confirmed that there was only one suspect. That individual was apprehended at the scene and is now in custody. There is no ongoing threat. This morning at 7 am, we reopened the Kneller Athletic Complex for normal operations.

Witnesses said they saw commotion on Downing Street about 6:30 p.m.

"We saw a bunch of police running up, and we saw a group of men, and one was waving their arms, trying to get their attention," said witness Tetrah Clark.

"We could still see very clearly, like a blood spot on his white shirt," Anne Culhane added.

Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.