Saint Paul Man Charged with Attempted Murder in Downtown Condo Stabbing

Sep 9

A Saint Paul man is accused of trying to kill his neighbor during a violent stabbing last week at their downtown condo building.

According to a criminal complaint filed Monday in Ramsey County, 37-year-old Thomas Christian Welle has been charged with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree burglary and first-degree assault after officers say he attacked a 56-year-old man inside his apartment on Sept. 5.

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Police were called just after 6:30 p.m. to the complex at 523 Jackson Street, where they found the victim lying on the sidewalk and with multiple stab wounds to his chest, abdomen and shoulder, along with defensive injuries on his arms and a slash across his left eyelid. The man told officers that his neighbor, Welle, had stabbed him “all over” and asked police to tell his daughters he loved them, according to court documents.

Doctors at Regions Hospital said the victim’s injuries were life-threatening, with blood pooling near his heart and lungs. The victim’s left arm had no pulse and his eye injury may require removal, the documents said. Prosecutors noted he’s expected to undergo additional surgeries in the near future.

Investigators say another longtime resident of the building heard the attack and ran to the victim’s door, where she reportedly saw Welle stabbing him. She yelled for him to stop and the victim shouted back, “He’s stabbing me—call 911!” Welle then fled the apartment while the victim, covered in blood, tried to get help.

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Officers later found a knife with blood on the blade inside Welle’s unit. The handle was carved with the name “Thomas” and a bloodstained envelope marked “Special Delivery” that was addressed to “Thomas Welle Trust” was also recovered in the victim’s apartment near a pool of blood.

Police arrested Welle the following evening outside the same building. He was reportedly barefoot and with blood on his feet and hands. He raised his arms to be taken into custody and when placed in handcuffs, Welle allegedly claimed the stabbing was in self-defense.

Neighbors and family told investigators that Welle had been increasingly disruptive for years, playing loud music, banging on walls and writing threatening notes. One neighbor said people in the building knew he was not taking his medication and his family described him as extremely dangerous, erratic and unpredictable.

Court records show Welle has prior convictions for second-degree arson and fourth-degree assault after he set fire to a mattress in a group home and spit on a police officer. He also has a long history of civil commitments and he was awaiting trial on a felony assault case in Hennepin County, where he was accused of repeatedly punching a doctor at HCMC who had been treating him for around 15 years.

Welle made an initial court appearance on Tuesday morning and a judge ordered him held in custody on $1 million bail while the new case proceeds.

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