A Murrieta man was arrested Thursday after allegedly attacking his neighbor with a sword during a dispute.
On September 11 at approximately 11:08 a.m., Murrieta Police and Murrieta Fire & Rescue responded to reports of an assault at the Madison Park Condominiums at 24909 Madison Ave, where they found an adult male suffering from non-life-threatening lacerations to his face and hand. The victim reported that his neighbor, identified by authorities as 51-year-old Michael Keen, had swung a sword at him, striking him across the face and hand.
Following the attack, the victim fled to a nearby residence to seek help. First responders at the scene provided medical aid to the victim, who was then transported by ambulance to a local hospital. The victim required sutures for his injuries and was released from the hospital the same day.
Keen remained inside his home and barricaded the doors and windows. The police created a perimeter and attempted to de-escalate the situation by communicating with the suspect using amplified communication.
The Southwest Cities SWAT Team was called in to take over negotiations. After hours of attempted negotiations, the team devised a plan and made entry into Keen’s apartment, where he was taken into custody for numerous felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and mayhem. No injuries to the suspect or officers were reported.
According to authorities, a sword was recovered as evidence.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective Nate Campbell at 951-461- 2677 or [email protected].
