2 charged in New Year's Eve stabbing

A New Year's Eve fight between two brothers ended with one stabbing the other, according to court documents.

Patrick John Riggins, born in 1983, was arrested on suspicion of partner or family member assault and his brother Jesse Salmonson, born in 1988, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a weapon and partner or family member assault.

Charges had not been filed against the two by Monday.

According to Hill County Justice Court documents, Havre Police Department got a call around 9 p.m. Dec. 31 from a man who said he had been stabbed. When officers arrived on the scene, the man who made the call was running away, dropping a knife in the act.

Documents say the man, identified as Patrick Riggins, was caught and then told officers the knife he dropped was the same one his brother used to stab him with.

The officers went to the apartment where the incident was supposed to have happened. They found Riggins' brother and suspected stabber, Salmonson, two witnesses and “visible sign that an assault had taken place,” referring to traces of blood in the living and bedroom area. Officers noticed that Salmonson's face was bleeding, the documents say.

Riggins and Salmonson were taken to Northern Montana Hospital, where Salmonson reportedly admitted to a Havre police officer he stabbed his brother, adding it was his turn, since his brother had stabbed him in the past.

Officers said they noticed that Riggins had lacerations on his stomach, superficial cuts on his left side, and what appeared to be a stab wound on his left shoulder.

The two witnesses were taken to the police station for questioning.

Justice Court files say the two witnesses were with Riggins and Salmonson at a 7th Street apartment when Salmonson began making antagonizing comments to Riggins. Salmonsen kept making comments until Riggins “came out of his seat and grabbed Salmonsen by his neck and pushed him into the bedroom, where they went to the floor.” While on top of him, Riggins struck Salmonson in the face repeatedly, until one of the witnesses separated the two.

As the witnesses were walking out of the room with Riggins, Salmonson grabbed a knife off the table. Salmonson, according to the documents, then charged past the female witness and thrust the knife toward Riggins, stabbing his left shoulder area.

At this point, witnesses said, the three went to the ground, with Riggins trying to take the knife away from Salmonson. The other witness then intervened and stopped the fight. Riggins stood up and said he had been stabbed in the lung. He then fled and called the police, the documents say.

Riggins has prior convictions of domestic violence crimes in Dec. 2013 and May 2014.

Riggins and Salmonson are being held at Hill County Detention Center, on $50,00 for Riggins and $100,000 bond for Salmonson.