Stabbing suspect name released

Authorities have released the name of the 17-year-old who is accused of breaking into a Havre apartment complex and stabbing and injuring three Montana State University-Northern students: Justice Lawrence Brown.

Brown is from Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation and had a hearing in juvenile court Monday with Hill County Justice of the Peace Audrey Barger. He is charged with three counts of attempted homicide and one count of aggravated burglary and on a federal state District Court warrant.

The students, Alicia Schneid, Sam Mix and Taylor Woolman, were taken to Benefis Hospital in Great Falls. Benefis did not return calls asking for updates on the status of the victims. Woolman is reportedly in stable condition, according to a Facebook status update from one of her family member.

KIROTV, a television news source in the Seattle area, reported that Mix, who is from Washington, is in "satisfactory condition" after being airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Brown was arrested Saturday at 6 a.m. According to the complaint and affidavit of probable cause for the arrest, which uses only the initials of the names of the victims, Havre Police Department received a call from 1018 11th Street West 4:24 Saturday morning.

The caller told police that one of her neighbors had been stabbed and was bleeding pretty badly. It was later reported that the suspect came out of the laundry room and started stabbing the person, the document reads.

When officers arrived on scene, they found large amounts of suspected blood in the apartment in many rooms and heard moaning coming from a room.

"Officers followed the noise and located two unresponsive individuals covered in blood laying on the floor," the document reads. The two had multiple stab wounds to their bodies and were bleeding profusely. One of the individuals was holding a steak knife by the blade. Officers removed it from their hand.

Lt. Aaron Wittmer was called to the scene. Witmer took photos of the scene and the individuals' wounds and acquired a description of the suspect. The victims described the suspect as a young Native American male in his early 20s, short hair, tall, skinny, wearing pants and a light-colored long-sleeved shirt, the document reads.

According to witness accounts, before they were attacked, one of the individuals said they heard a knocking sound coming from their bedroom door, but when they checked it, no one was there. This person went back to the kitchen to check on macaroni and cheese that was cooking and then walked into the laundry room, where she met the intruder.

The attacker hit her in the face and she turned to run away. As she ran, the attacker followed her and stabbed her several times. She went into the room where the other two were located and the attacker began to attack them as well.

The first person who was attacked was able to leave the apartment and seek the help of a neighbor, who called the police.

After Wittmer got the account of what happened and the description of the suspect, he left the scene to help officers on a disturbance call around 6 a.m. At the next location, on Boulevard Avenue, an officer told Wittmer they had a person in custody, who was discovered to be Brown, in a patrol car, and he was covered with blood.

"All Brown would say is that he was trying to separate a couple individuals involved in an altercation," the document reads, adding that Brown would not go into details.

Wittmer had Brown lift up his foot and identified the print of his Nike shoes, which read "Max Air" on the bottom, as the same shoe impression seen throughout the alley between Lincoln and Boulevard Avenue, as well as the prints on the grill and deck, the kitchen and dining room of where the break-in and entry occurred.

The owner of the trailer where the new disturbance call was made said that Brown showed up at her trailer about five minutes before the officers did. The owner said Brown was breathing heavily and was missing his glasses.

"Brown told (the owner) that she needed to call the cops and the ambulance because he just witnessed something bad and they need help," the document reads.

A photo lineup containing Brown's photograph was shown to one of the victims, who identified Brown.

Once Wittmer was able to question Brown, Brown said he did not want to talk unless his mother was present. She was found and brought to the police station.

"Brown started to answer questions but continued saying he was breaking up a fight," the document reads. "Brown stated that he must of blacked out and doesn't remember anything after 0230 hours when he passed out on the floor. Brown stated the next thing he remembers is Police Officers waking him up."

Brown was told that in addition to the pick-up-and-hold order from his state District Court warrant, he was being held on pending felony charges of aggravated burglary and three counts of attempted deliberate homicide.

"Brown stated that he would never hurt anyone like that," the document reads.

He was was taken to the Great Falls Detention Center. According to the document, Brown will be tried as an adult.

Joshua Gene, a former Northern football player, said that he started a Go Fund Me account to raise funds for the victims, Sam Mix, Alicia Schneid and Taylor Woolman.

Mix and Woolman are athletes at the university, football and volleyball respectively.

Gene said his little brother is best friends with Mix, and he has talked to Mix and watched him play football.

"When I heard what happened, I felt like had to do something," Gene said.

After talking to his brother about what happened to Mix, Gene set up the account Sunday from his home in Nevada. As of 10 a.m. today, the page had gathered $4,252 to pay for medical costs.

He said he contacted Mix's mother, who asked him to give Mix's portion of the funds raised to Schneid and Woolman because their insurance should cover the costs. He said he has been trying to get a hold of the two women's families.

He said he has made calls to many family members, trying to spread the word around.

"Our number one concern is always for our students," a press release from MSU-Northern reads. "What has happened is a tragedy. The students involved were part of the Northern family and we will rally around them and their families to start the healing process."

To donate to Gene's fundraiser for medical costs, visit http://www.gofundme.com/Support3#