Victim Stabbed Multiple Times During Argument
Fleeing Suspect Located and Arrested
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Detectives are investigating an early morning stabbing where the victim sustained potentially life-threatening wounds. A short time later, Deputies, with the assistance of a Liberty Lake Police Officer, located and arrested the suspect who fled the scene after the stabbing.
On May 10, 2019, at approximately 7:50 a.m., Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Spokane Valley Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a residence in the 9700 block of E. Garland for a reported stabbing.
Arriving Deputies located the adult male victim who was bleeding profusely from several stab/puncture wounds to his upper torso/neck area.
Initial information, provided at the scene, named 39-year-old Jordan D. Knippling as the suspect in the violent assault. The incident began as an argument between the victim and Knippling regarding the victim not paying rent and eating people’s food, but quickly escalated. Knippling fled the residence on his bicycle after hearing law enforcement had been called.
Deputies, with the assistance of a Liberty Lake Police Officer, began searching the surrounding area for Knippling, including the Centennial Trail.
At approximately 8:55 a.m., Knippling was located on the south side of the river in the east 12000 block of the Centennial Trail. He followed commands and was taken into custody without incident. During a search of Knippling, Deputies did not locate the knife used in the assault.
Major Crimes Detectives responded to the scene and applied for a search warrant of the residence which was granted. Spokane County Forensic Unit personnel are at the scene aiding with the collection of evidence.
SIRT Team members responded to assist in traffic control of the small portion of Garland which is closed while the investigation continues.
Knippling was transported to the Public Safety Building to be interviewed by Detectives. Knippling told Investigators he was acting in self-defense after the victim punched him. He explained that the victim only stays at the residence periodically, but the victim does not live there. Knippling also informed Detectives he suffers from a mental health illness, schizophrenia.
This continues to be an active and ongoing investigation, but at this time, the evidence does not support Knippling’s account of self-defense. Knippling faces charges of Attempted Murder 2nd Degree and Assault 1st Degree.
NOTE: Knippling was just released from jail on April 28, 2019, on his own recognizance following his first appearance hearing for two felony charges of Assault 3rd Degree. The charged stemmed from an incident on April 27, 2019, where he reportedly assaulted two Spokane Valley Hospital Nurse Practitioners.