A Faribault man faces grave charges including two counts of attempted murder following a dispute that escalated to violence, as reported by the Rice County Attorney's Office. Ricardo Ortiz, 45, is accused of stabbing his neighbor multiple times after noise complaints led to a confrontation, the alleged assault occurring shortly after a second noise-related police call was made by the victim.
The incident, which took place on March 1, led to the victim sustaining four stab wounds—including one in the left arm, one in the stomach, and two on his left side—after Ortiz forcefully entered the victim's apartment announced by a "loud bang," as stated by the victim to law enforcement, Ortiz then is said to have charged at him and the altercation ensued with the victim resorting to defending himself with a bat before sustaining his injuries, and while the violent scene played out, Ortiz's threatening words “I will kill you” and “quit calling the police or I’m going to kill you,” were captured via a 911 call providing an audible record of the events as they unfolded, as per Rice County official release.
Following the stabbing, Ortiz fled Minnesota, prompting a multi-state law enforcement effort that concluded with his arrest in Harrison County, Missouri, on March 4 and subsequent extradition back to Minnesota. The coordinated work was recognized by Rice County Attorney Brian Mortenson who commended "the hard work of the Faribault Police Department investigators along with great cooperation from the Harrison County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Office" in getting Ortiz back to face charges.
Charges against Ortiz are severe and encompass two counts of attempted murder, one count of first-degree assault causing great bodily harm, one count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon causing great bodily harm, and one count of first-degree burglary with intent to commit an assault—Ortiz's criminal history further complicates his situation as he was on supervised release for a 2022 case involving allegations of sexual misconduct with minors at the time of the alleged stabbing.
Judge Karie M. Anderson presided over Ortiz's initial court appearance on March 12, setting his bail at $1 million without conditions and $300,000 with conditions; Ortiz’s next court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. May 6, 2025. The victim has been released from the hospital and is now on the mend after experiencing this harrowing ordeal.
