A stabbing incident at the Tempe, Arizona IKEA on Saturday left one man in critical condition and led to the arrest of Francisco Javier Gutierrez. According to a statement provided by Tempe Police to FOX 10, the victim, speaking with difficulty in Russian, informed officers that he had been stabbed by a co-worker. The altercation involved two men, both third-party contractors working at the IKEA location near Priest Drive and Elliot Road. "No IKEA co-workers or customers were involved or harmed in this incident," IKEA US stressed in a statement to 12 News.
Tempe Police learned the name of the suspect after responding to the scene around 11:15 a.m., as the victim had managed to quickly run out to the parking lot, seeking help. Gutierrez, 39, was located and arrested in Quartzsite, where he was believed to possibly be headed to California. In a release, police stated, "Mr. Gutierrez was booked into jail for the following charges: one count Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, a class 3 felony, one count Tampering with Evidence, a class 6 felony, one count Interfering with Judicial Proceedings, a class 1 misdemeanor." This fast-moving chain of events underscores the urgency often revealed in dire circumstances.
Fox 10 reported that initial communication with the victim was challenging due to the language barrier. However, with perseverance, authorities were able to ascertain details regarding the incident. The injured man was swiftly transported to a local hospital and was later said to be stabilized. IKEA has offered its cooperation to the Tempe Police Department, reiterating its commitment to safety and distancing itself from the contractors' conflict.
The strategy employed by Tempe Police to quickly apprehend the suspect included reaching out to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, which played a crucial role in Gutierrez's arrest. "We would like to express our gratitude to the public for their assistance, and to the Department of Public Safety for their help in successfully apprehending Mr. Gutierrez," the police further told Fox 10. In light of this effort, it appears the legal process is now to fully unfold, as the man accused readies himself to face the system designed to judge the merits of the case against him.
