A Pontiac man is facing charges after allegedly stabbing a coworker at the Sbarro restaurant in Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills, Michigan, on Sunday, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
Armani Laquarius Phillips, 21, was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm. Prosecutors accused Phillips of stabbing his coworker four times in the neck and shoulder in the back office of the restaurant, where both are employed.
The incident took place at 12:30 m. on Aug. 30 at the outlet mall at 4000 Baldwin Road, according to the Auburn Hills Police Department. Officers were called to the scene after a 911 caller reported that two Sbarro employees were fighting in the back room and that one had been stabbed with a knife, per a news release from the department.
Police said the suspect had fled the scene before they arrived but were later located and arrested. The victim, an 18-year-old, was transported to a local hospital and suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The prosecutor’s office said the two men were arguing over an allegedly stolen backpack. Police described the incident as stemming from an ongoing disagreement between the two.
In a statement, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said, “Settling disputes with violence is never acceptable. The defendant's co-workers have a right to a safe workplace, and customers at the mall should feel safe while shopping. We intend to hold him accountable.”
Phillips faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $5,000 if convicted. He was housed at the Oakland County Jail.
The stabbing marks the second violent incident at Great Lakes Crossing in the last two months. On July 11, a 20-year-old man was killed and a 19-year-old woman was injured in a shooting at the mall's food court. Police said the shooting followed an argument between the 20-year-old and a 22-year-old man, who was taken into custody.