By: Mark Vest | Farmington Press | Published October 24, 2023
FARMINGTON HILLS — At approximately 1:50 a.m. Sept. 29, officers from the Farmington Hills Police Department responded to the Timber Ridge Apartments after receiving a 911 call reporting a stabbing in progress, according to a press release from the city of Farmington Hills.
The caller reported to the dispatcher that her estranged husband had broken in and attacked her friend, a 32-year-old male resident of Warren. The caller advised the dispatcher that the suspect was actively stabbing her friend with a knife.
Upon reaching the residence, officers found the suspect on top of the victim, actively assaulting him.
The officers immediately intervened, taking the suspect, 34-year-old Curtis Leroy Washington Jr., into custody without incident, the release states.
The officers then rapidly transitioned to providing lifesaving first aid to the stabbing victim.
“The victim was bleeding profusely from multiple stab wounds and was unable to breathe due to the wounds to his torso,” the release states. “The officers applied chest seals from their tactical medical kits which helped to control the bleeding and prevented the victim’s lung from collapsing. To expedite care, the officers carried the victim out of the residence to paramedics as they arrived on scene.”
Medic units from the Farmington Hills Fire Department took over care of the victim and provided additional lifesaving measures prior to transporting the victim to Corewell Hospital Farmington Hills, according to the release.
“I am extremely proud of the heroic actions of the women and men of the Farmington Hills Police Department. They were calm and courageous in the face of danger, de-escalated a chaotic situation, arrested a violent criminal and saved the life of an innocent victim,” Farmington Hills Police Chief Jeff King stated in the release. “When encountering this danger, they relied upon the outstanding training they are continuously provided and showed amazing restraint in their response to violence. This training allowed them to safely stop the violence while protecting the innocent and the suspect.”
After an investigation was conducted, it was discovered that Washington Jr. had previously been arrested for domestic violence by the Farmington Hills Police Department, on Sept. 13.
He was out on bond and violated a conditional release order by having contact with his estranged wife on the night of the stabbing, police said.
Detectives submitted their findings to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
The Prosecutor’s Office charged Washington Jr. with one count of assault with intent to murder and one count of domestic violence, second offense.
He was arraigned in the 47th District Court and was remanded to the Oakland County Jail without bond.
A pre-exam conference has been scheduled for Oct. 27.
Washington Jr’s attorney did not respond to an opportunity to comment by press time.
“October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and this case is a tragic example of the physical and emotional trauma families suffer from domestic abusers and it is indicative of the cycle of violence which is seen too often,” King stated in the release. “The Farmington Hills Police Department is dedicated to preventing these horrific outcomes by working with our community partners.”
The Coordinated Community Response Team created by the Police Department is a multidisciplinary group dedicated to the identification of high-risk domestic violence cases with a coordinated community response.
This group includes representatives from the Farmington Hills Police Department, the Farmington Public Safety Department, HAVEN, the Call to Action Coalition, Mai Family Services, Oakland University, Jewish Family Services, Farmington Public Schools, Corewell Hospital, state and city prosecutors, and the 47th District Court, according to the release.
“Team members meet regularly to pursue their goal of preventing the tragedy of domestic violence by reaching out to people in crisis and making them aware of vital services that are available,” the release states.
According to the release, King is inviting community members to attend a domestic violence community forum 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, at the Southfield Pavilion, located at 26000 Evergreen Road in Southfield.
King, other law enforcement leaders, and court and health care personnel will participate in a roundtable discussion on community response and solutions to domestic violence, the release states.