A 21-year-old man was stabbed during a chaotic altercation at the Raft Off boating gathering in Muskamoot Bay on Lake St. Clair on Saturday, and the Shelby Township man accused in the attack is now facing a felony charge that carries up to 10 years in prison. Salem Hanna Asmar, 26, was arraigned in 72nd District Court the same day the stabbing occurred, with bond set at $100,000 cash or surety.
Asmar was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, according to the MLive report, which cited the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office in detailing the charge and the stabbing itself. Under Michigan law, the offense is classified as a Class D felony, meaning a conviction could bring not just a decade behind bars but also a fine of up to $5,000.
A Record Crowd at 'The Gauntlet'
The stabbing happened during Raft Off, an annual unsanctioned boating gathering in an area of Lake St. Clair known as “The Gauntlet,” where thousands of vessels tie together on the water, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit. The Muskamoot Bay event drew an unprecedented number of boats and people this year, per the same MLive account, and the day included several fights breaking out before the stabbing occurred.
It's worth clarifying which event this was. Some early references pointed to the Port Huron Float Down, but that is a separate gathering — a 7.5-mile tubing drift down the St. Clair River from Port Huron to Marysville marking its 50th anniversary this year, according to a joint statement noted by Canada.ca. That river float is scheduled for next Sunday, not the weekend of the stabbing.
Sheriff Warns of Consequences on the Water
St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King said violence will not be tolerated on the water, per the MLive report, adding that marine deputies take safety seriously. King's office indicated that people behaving irresponsibly or breaking the law will face consequences on the water, according to the sheriff's statement cited in that reporting.
The warning wasn't just rhetoric after the fact. Days before the gathering, on August 4, King issued formal safety advisories urging boaters to exercise extreme caution and plan for severe congestion ahead of the Muskamoot Bay crowd, according to the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office. Beyond the stabbing, more than 50 people were left stranded at the event after failing to return with the boating parties they arrived with, illustrating the strain the gathering placed on marine deputies that day.
Suspect's History Includes 2021 Shooting Charge
Court records reviewed by Neotimes show Asmar was previously charged in Macomb County with assault with intent to murder in connection with a May 2021 shooting in Warren, in which a 38-year-old man was shot twice during an argument. The same outlet's reporting notes that in January 2026, Asmar was arrested by Hazel Park police following a high-speed pursuit connected to an armed robbery investigation at a local marijuana dispensary, resulting in felony fleeing and eluding charges and an arraignment in Hazel Park's 43rd District Court.
A Weekend of Emergencies on Lake St. Clair
The stabbing was not the only emergency responders faced on the water that weekend. A 23-year-old swimmer drowned off Harrison Township that same Saturday, triggering a multi-agency search before his body was recovered two days later, according to the Scanner of Warren.
Unsanctioned marine gatherings in the area have a history of serious hazards. Joint statements from the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards have pointed to a 2014 drowning death and a 2016 storm event that drifted 1,500 floaters into Canadian territory as evidence of the risks these crowds pose. Hoodline previously covered the sheriff's safety push ahead of this summer's events, detailing the emergency preparations local agencies have made for the region's massive water gatherings.
