Boy accused of stabbing woman and 2 boys at TRAX platform is only 12

A boy accused of stabbing three people at a South Salt Lake TRAX station in June is only 12 years old, new court documents reveal.

On June 18, Utah Transit Authority police officers responded to a report of a fight with the knife at the Central Pointe TRAX platform, 221 W. 2100 South. A woman and two boys suffered stabbing injuries, but the injuries weren't considered to be life-threatening. The attacker was taken into custody at the Millcreek Station Platform on 3300 South.

According to a search warrant affidavit, the suspect turned 12 just two months earlier.

Officers reviewing video from security cameras observed what appeared to be a verbal confrontation between the woman and the 12-year-old, which culminated with the woman pouring water on the boy and the boy punching her in the mouth, the affidavit states.

The two boys with the woman then approached the 12-year-old boy she was arguing with and the 12-year-old pulled out a knife. The woman "sustained two puncture wounds to the abdomen, one male juvenile sustained one puncture wound to the kidney area, the other male juvenile sustained a small puncture wound to the back of his left arm," according to the affidavit. The victims were treated at a hospital and were later released.

One of the victims told police the 12-year-old boy had robbed him a few weeks earlier. When the two saw each other again on the TRAX platform, that's when the woman confronted the 12-year-old.

When questioned by police, the boy said he was trying to defend himself and that the three victims took his phone and ski mask during the fight. When officers asked him why he was wearing a ski mask, "he stated that it was a fashion trend," according to the affidavit. "I asked him why he was carrying around a knife. (He) stated that he was carrying a knife for safety because there had been other confrontations."

A spokesman for UTA said the department was not releasing much information about the incident, except that the 12-year-old boy was "charged and booked into juvenile detention."

Because the boy is 12, any charging documents filed against him in juvenile court are not considered to be public.