Butts

Criminal charges are pending against Kevin Dee Butts for a stabbing event which occurred in Marshalltown on Thursday.

Butts, 24, of Marshalltown, will be charged with the following offenses:

• Two counts of domestic abuse assault – display or use of a weapon

• Going armed with intent (Class D-Felony)

• Two counts of willful injury – causing serious injury.

Butts has been detained and questioned in connection with this incident.

Shortly after noon on Thursday, the Marshalltown Police Department responded to the 100 block of North Second Street to investigate a reported stabbing.

Upon arrival, they found Suzanne Marie Bittner, 51, of Marshalltown and Kenneth Charles Bittner, 62, of Marshalltown, in a yard suffering from stab wounds. They were alert and able to communicate but did have significant wounds to their upper torsos.

Law enforcement personnel also located Butts on the same scene with a minor injury. Butts told officers on scene he stabbed at least one of the victims.

All of these parties live together. Suzanne Bittner is Butts’ mother.

All parties were transported to a medical facility for treatment and evaluation. All parties are safe and reported to be in stable condition.

A neighbor who was present during the incident, Shana Arp, said the stabbing victims are a family — a mother, stepdad and son. Arp said she saw all three of them outside of the apartment with wounds.

“My kids came outside to play, and they came running back in telling me that the neighbors have been stabbed …” Arp said. “I went and told my mom to call 911 and I came back out … then my kids ran back in to get some towels to put over their stab wounds. We tried to help them that way, calm them down and wait for the ambulance to show up.”

Shari Hippen, who was also present, described herself as a close friend of the victims. She said the son had recently moved back in with his parents.