On or about April 22, 2026 at approximately 8:34 P.M., Minneapolis officers responded to a stabbing call at the intersection of 4th Avenue South and 8th Street South in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. The reporting party S. M-H. (“Witness” herein) stated that her boyfriend M. H. (“Victim” herein) had been stabbed with a razor. Witness reported that the suspect who stabbed Victim was a black male, approximately 5’7”, wearing a cream plaid shirt and holding a black plastic bag and a razor.
Officers arrived on scene and spoke with Victim. Victim was holding a towel over his right arm, saying that he had been sliced and it was “really bad.” Officers moved the towel and saw a deep laceration on Victim’s right arm. Officers observed that the laceration was deep enough for them to see the fat layer and deep muscle tissue under the skin. EMS arrived on scene and transported Victim [NAME REDACTED]. While Victim was being transported to the hospital, Witness ran up to officers arriving on scene and said that the suspect was walking southbound on 3rd Avenue South towards 10th Steet South.
Officers saw a suspect matching Witness’s description walking on the sidewalk along 3rd Avenue South. Officers saw the suspect toss an item near a flower planter. Officers commanded the suspect to put his hands up and get on the ground. The suspect complied. Officers handcuffed the suspect and identified him as JAMES DARRELL GRAHAM (“Defendant” herein). Officers went to the flower planter and located a white switch blade nearby. Officers conducted a show up, and Witness positively identified Defendant as the suspect who stabbed Victim.
At the hospital, Victim told officers that he and Witness had been on the same bus as Defendant, but Victim and Witness were not sitting together. Victim said he and Witness both got off the bus at the same time and they were walking away from the bus when Defendant yelled at them from across the street. Victim [NAME REDACTED], asking if Witness was alright, and Victim [NAME REDACTED] was fine. Victim and Witness walked towards Defendant. Victim admitted that both he and Defendant were being aggressive towards each other.
Defendant said, “run up on me, run up on me,” and then swung at Victim. Victim [NAME REDACTED] in the arm, and when he looked at his arm, he saw it was cut open. Victim [NAME REDACTED] did not know Defendant had a knife until after he was cut. Victim needed stitches to repair the laceration to his arm. At the time Victim [NAME REDACTED] at the hospital, Victim’s treating physician was unsure if Victim would need surgery as well. Officers spoke with Witness, who said she had been talking to Defendant on the bus, but then Defendant got into an argument with an unknown male.
This argument caused the bus driver to pull over, and the driver said one of the parties needed to get off the bus. Witness, Victim, and Defendant all got off the bus, separately from each other. Witness said she and Victim were arguing as they crossed the street, and Defendant was watching them. Defendant approached her and asked if she was okay, and this caused an argument between Defendant and Victim. Witness said Defendant threatened to stab Victim [NAME REDACTED]. Witness stated she wrapped her arms around Victim and tried to pull him away from Defendant.
