A 19-year-old Minneapolis man stabbed another man multiple times during an early morning altercation near the University of Minnesota, causing injuries that included a collapsed lung, according to the complaint.
Nicholas Steven Nunez Rodriguez faces a charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon causing substantial bodily harm.
According to court records, University of Minnesota police responded to the 1200 block of 4th Street SE at about 2:33 a.m. on September 4 after several 911 callers reported a stabbing. Officers arrived to find the victim suffering from several stab wounds to the front and back of his torso. Emergency responders transported the victim to the hospital, where he was treated for his injuries, including a collapsed lung.
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Bystanders at the scene told police there had been an altercation between the victim and a male later identified as Nunez Rodriguez. Witnesses reported that Nunez Rodriguez pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim numerous times before walking away from the area.
A short time later, Minneapolis Park Police contacted University of Minnesota police to report that Nunez Rodriguez was at Eliot Park, skateboarding. Officers responded to the park and apprehended him. According to the complaint, Nunez Rodriguez spontaneously told officers, “if you guys reach in my pocket, the blade that I did it with is in there.” Police recovered the knife from his pocket and arrested him without incident.
The charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon alleges that he used a knife to inflict substantial bodily harm on the victim.
A court date has not yet been set.
About This Charge
Minnesota classifies assault by degree under § 609.221 (first), § 609.222 (second), § 609.223 (third), § 609.2231 (fourth) and § 609.224 (fifth). First-degree assault, alleging great bodily harm, carries up to 20 years in prison. The lower degrees range from misdemeanor up to 10-year felony exposure depending on weapon use and harm.
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Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 45 surrounding cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
