A violent confrontation in downtown Phoenix has led to the hospitalization of four people and the arrest of a 23-year-old suspect, Terrell Scott Nozie. The incident occurred around 4:18 a.m. on Sept. 3 near the Burton Barr Central Library, where Nozie is accused of stabbing and cutting victims with a broken beer bottle during a fight, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix and AZFamily.
The Phoenix Fire Department and Police were called to the scene at the library's cooling center, finding individuals with injuries deemed non-life-threatening. According to court documents, the victims were present in the area when Nozie, who had earlier accused one of them of robbery at a Circle K, initiated an altercation after another person, alongside Nozie, commenced throwing glass bottles at them, and later began to swing at the group with a broken beer bottle that he picked up.
In the ensuing conflict, Nozie is said to have punched one person in the chest and then proceeded to slice and cut other victims with the sharp object. "Nozie began cutting and slicing several victims as he was swinging the broken beer bottle," according to police statements obtained by AZFamily. The skirmish escalated as the victims defended themselves, with one retaliating using a skateboard.
During the attack, Nozie was stabbed in the back four times with the same bottle as seen by witnesses. After being hospitalized alongside his victims, Nozie admitted to his presence at the scene but denied the usage of a broken glass bottle during the conflict. "Nozie claimed he didn’t use a broken glass bottle during the fight," investigators noted in court documents cited by FOX 10 Phoenix.
Authorities, utilizing a photographic lineup and a positive identification of Nozie at the hospital by one of the victims, have charged Nozie with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. A cash-only bond has been set at $80,000, and a preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 12. As the investigation continues, details may evolve.
