August 3, 2017
By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –
A homeless man is in the Elk City jail following a stabbing Friday night in a local park.
Police believe that the man, Barton Medina, is 42-years-old, but question his exact age. According to Police Chief Eddie Holland, Medina has given police a couple different dates of birth.
The victim, a 13-year-old boy, suffered a minor stabbing injury thought to be delivered by Medina. Holland called the injury a small flesh wound that require “a couple stitches” at the local hospital.
The incident happened near the snow cone stand in Ackley Park during an oil company-hosted, community event. Holland told Paragon News there happened to be a long line at the time of the stabbing. Medina was reportedly waiting in line when police say he “freaked out”, stabbed the juvenile, whose name is being withheld.
Holland says the suspect simply slipped away from incident sight, but was later found nearby and held until police arrived. Medina was taken into custody without incident on a complaint of assault with a deadly weapon.
Holland says Medina had only been in town a couple of months and was thought to have moved on until the Friday night incident. Police had a run-in with him a few weeks ago.
Medina is thought to be exhibiting signs of mental illness.
According to online court records, Medina has not been charged for any crime in Beckham County at the present time.
The case remains under investigation.
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