Authorities in Illinois have arrested and charged a man in connection with the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old Walmart worker. Per WIFR, the fatal March 24 incident occurred at a Walmart store in Rockford.
The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Timothy Carter, allegedly stabbed Jason Jenkins in the back. The victim was on duty at the time, and police said the teen and suspect did not know each other. A judge has since ordered Carter, who has been charged with first-degree murder, to remain in jail pending his next court date.
Court documents stated that Carter claimed he had gone to Rosecrance and UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital to seek treatment for mental health issues. But he claimed he was denied treatment.
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“As with the rest of our community, Rosecrance is shocked by this recent act of violence and unthinkable loss of life. While we cannot and will not speak about the person involved in this incident, there are times in which individuals may seek our treatment, but are assessed to be an acute risk to self or others. In these cases, we will safely refer those individuals to a higher level of care,” Rosecrance said in response to Carter’s claims.
“Patients aged 10 and up who present to the emergency department are screened for risk of harm to self or others and triaged appropriately,” a UW Health spokesperson also said.
The report also stated that after Carter entered the Walmart store, he took two knives and gave “all of the African American people dirty looks” as he walked around. A witness who spoke with police said she heard the suspect hurling a racial slur around the period of the fatal incident.
The judge during Wednesday’s hearing accepted the prosecution’s request to keep Carter detained, WIFR reported. Illinois’ Pre-Trial Fairness Act stipulates that the state has to prove “by clear and convincing evidence” that a suspect’s alleged crime warrants detainment and the defendant poses a danger to society if released.
