WEBSTER — A man was arrested on charges of stabbing two individuals in a Webster apartment complex late Saturday night, according to the Webster Police Department.
Officers were dispatched to the Hartley Terrace Apartments at approximately 11:18 p.m. following a distress call to the Southern Worcester County Communication Center (SWCC) from a man claiming he had been stabbed in the head.
The suspect was reported to be locked in the bathroom with others inside the apartment.
On route, police were informed of a second stabbing victim, and the suspect had fled the scene.
Webster Police, assisted by the Massachusetts State Police, Oxford Police, and Dudley Police, set up a perimeter around the apartment to locate the suspect.
Officers Murray and Blomgren, accompanied by an MSP Trooper, first arrived on scene and identified a male matching the suspect’s description, later confirmed as Michael Rodriguez, 30, of Webster.
Rodriguez was apprehended near the entrance of building #C, where the stabbings reportedly occurred, and was taken into custody without incident.
Inside the apartment, Sergeant Mroczek and Sergeant Larochelle rendered aid to the victims, while Officer Stephens recovered the knife used in the assault.
Investigations revealed Rodriguez had instigated an altercation with one of the victims, resulting in slashes to the victim’s jaw and arm as the second victim attempted to intervene.
Both victims received non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to UMASS Webster by Webster EMS.
Rodriguez faces two counts of Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon and Disorderly Conduct.
His bail was set at $340, and he was released the next day ahead of his Monday arraignment at Dudley District Court.
As standard legal procedure dictates, Rodriguez maintains his presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
The Webster Police Department expressed gratitude to the Dudley and Oxford Police Departments and the Massachusetts State Police for their collaboration in the response to this incident.
