KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A man is facing three aggravated assault charges after he was accused of stabbing three people in the parking lot of Brickyard Bar and Grill early in the morning of New Year's Day.
Shawn Edward Hatcher, 49, was taken into custody on Jan. 1 after authorities received reports about the stabbings. Police officers said when they arrived at around 2:50 a.m., the victims had already been taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in private vehicles and Hatcher had left the bar.
One victim told authorities she was at the bar with three other people when Hatcher approached the group and started inappropriately touching her. The woman told Hatcher to stop, but he continued touching her, according to a police report. The group later tried to leave the bar, but she said Hatcher punched her in the parking lot and then stabbed her.
She said two other people in the group tried to intervene, and they were stabbed as well. According to a police report, one victim had a stab wound in her breast. Another victim had minor lacerations to the right arm, and the third victim had serious wounds to his body, "and possibly his liver."
One member of the group told authorities she had known Hatcher since they were young. She said he was acting strangely and she tried to get away from him throughout the night.
While officers were still at Brickyard Bar and Grill, authorities said Hatcher returned and they made contact with him. He was taken into custody and told authorities he stabbed the people to defend himself. Officers said they found a set of black brass knuckles in his pocket while they arrested him. They also said he had cuts on his hands and was taken to UT Medical Center for evaluation and treatment.
He was then taken to the Knox County Detention Facility, according to the police report.
Hatcher is expected in court on Jan. 4. He has a criminal record that includes charges of aggravated burglary and especially aggravated kidnapping in 2009.