CASPER — Two weeks after a local teen was stabbed five times and suffered severe injuries, the Casper Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for the alleged assailant.
The March 21 stabbing sent a male teen to the hospital with damage to both lungs and his liver, the CSD reports.
The CPD announced Monday that Casper Circuit Court Judge Kevin Taheri issued a warrant for Evan Jason Kirkendall’s arrest Friday on a charge of aggravated assault. The request for the warrant, signed by a Casper officer, was dated April 1.
A call to the Casper Police Department about the case was not immediately returned.
A redacted police affidavit filed in Casper Circuit Court states that officers were called to the 1000 block of North Park Street shortly after 7 p.m. by a juvenile who reported his “friend” was stabbed and the victim was in a car and possibly enroute to the hospital.
A second caller, Kirkendall, called dispatch to report the victim was going to the hospital in a white car. He also reported the victim “tried beating my ass” and that he (Kirkendall) stabbed the victim inside his house.
A speeding car could be heard in the background of the call as Kirkendall swore apparently at the victim and the call was disconnected, the affidavit says.
Casper police arrived at the residence and were met by Kirkendall, who told the officer that he stabbed the teen when he entered his house. Kirkendall told the officer that the knife he used was on his vehicle.
The affidavit states that it was a “folding-style knife with a black handle. The blade was equipped with a thumb peg.”
Kirkendall’s mother, who was not present during the incident, provided police with video from the security cameras of the home that showed the stabbing victim walk up to the front door and a voice inside the residence identified as Kirkendall responding, “Yo,” and the door was opened from the inside.
Video Evidence
The affidavit states the video shows the victim told Kirkendall not to talk about his brother, then the situation escalates with words exchanged and Kirkendall telling the victim to “come inside.” The other teen does.
“Two seconds later (the victim) and Evan spill out the front door, struggling against each other,” the affidavit states. “Evan (was) holding onto (the victim) with his left hand and thrust with his right hand into (the victim’s) torso twice.
“Evan then pulled (the victim) down the stairs and then continued to struggle.”
When the two separated, the victim checked his torso and took steps toward his vehicle, the video showed.
During an interview with police, Kirkendall is recorded telling the officer that it was the victim’s “f***ing fault.”
“They went to my f***ing house, yo. How the f*** is it my fault? Just doesn’t make sense, yo,” Kirkendall is quoted in the affidavit. “They came to my house, he walked into my door, he tried to beat my ass. So, it’s self-defense yo.”
The Phone Call
Witnesses interviewed by police said that the incident began with a phone call where Kirkendall allegedly insulted a juvenile’s girlfriend and a juvenile. The conversation was put on speaker phone.
After more insults, Kirkendall told those listening to “come do something about it.”
The victim left for Kirkendall’s house.
The detective investigating the case observed that the victim came to Kirkendall’s house by himself but was followed by others, and that Kirkendall came to the door holding a deadly weapon.
“In the home security footage, it is clear that (the victim) is not holding onto Evan when he is stabbed twice (though he was stabbed a total of five times),” the affidavit states. The detective “was informed by (the victim’s) mother that he had suffered a puncturing of both lungs, as well as damage to his liver, as a result of the stabbing.”
One of the witnesses interviewed stated that he and Kirkendall initially met when Kirkendall transferred to Natrona County High School more than a year ago.
While the affidavit redacted Kirkendall’s date of birth, other information available online shows Kirkendall is now 19.
Aggravated assault and battery is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
