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Thursday, Mar 28th

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Two stabbings rock the downtown, north side areas

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Sunday afternoon turned violent when Jason Frank was stabbed in the chest at the downtown walkway, in the area where the Gallup Farmers Market is held on Saturday mornings.

Lionald Miller, 40, of Yatahey, N.M., was arrested for the stabbing, charged with aggravated battery.

According to Gallup Police Department spokesperson Capt. Marinda Spencer, Frank is a Native American man in his mid-thirties. Spencer said the call to police came in at 1:28 pm, and police were already on the scene when the Gallup Sun arrived around 1:30 pm.

Police were taping off the downtown walkway, and part of Coal Avenue, almost up to Third Street. Blood splatter could be seen on the walkway, close to Aztec Avenue.

The victim, who sustained a stab wound to his left chest area, was treated by paramedics near the walkway on Coal Avenue before being taken to a local hospital. He was later flown to an Albuquerque area hospital. As of early Tuesday morning Frank’s condition was described by Spencer as “stable.”

The motive for the stabbing is unclear, but witnesses said they saw about six males arguing, with several women standing nearby. But, the witnesses stopped short of saying whether they witnessed the stabbing, or know the name of the suspect or suspects involved in the incident.

Spencer said “the suspects fled,” and multiple police patrolled the downtown and surrounding areas shortly after the stabbing, searching for suspects.

GPD Officer Christian Vasquez caught up with Miller after it was overheard at the El Rancho Hotel that “a group of males (were) bragging about stabbing a male downtown.”

It was shortly after 5 pm Sunday when Vasquez found the group walking down Ford Drive, south of Mesa. He stopped to question the group when Miller bolted down an alley on foot. Vasquez was able to call out to Miller, asking him to stop running, which he complied. He was immediately placed under arrest. The rest of the group was interviewed by GPD detectives, but it’s unclear now whether any of them will face charges.

Tragedy struck again on Monday with another stabbing. According to Spencer, at approximately 11:47 am, Marc Yazzie was stabbed in the arm and hand around Third Street and Maloney Avenue.

GPD Officer Norman Bowman stated in his report that “Mr. Yazzie would possibly require surgery to his forearm as his tendons/ligament was visibly cut.”

No suspect has been booked into custody as of press time.

Meanwhile, as of Aug. 24, Miller remains behind bars at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center.

Spencer said both investigations are ongoing.

By Jonathan Gregg

Sun Correspondent