Relative of stabbing suspect says incident was an accident

The aunt of a 13-year-old boy facing a second-degree attempted murder charge after he allegedly stabbed another 13-year-old boy Sunday during an argument in Kalihi said Monday it was an accident.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of second-degree attempted murder and turned over to the jurisdiction of Family Court.

The victim was taken in critical condition to a hospital after the incident, which occurred at noon on McNeill Street.

Police said he was stabbed in the chest.

The woman, who declined to give her name, said the victim’s condition had improved and that he was in stable condition Monday. She said the victim is her nephew’s best friend and that her nephew did not intend to harm him.

The woman, who lives in the same household as the arrested boy, said television news had provided inaccurate information, so she did not want to say what the instrument involved was and did not wish to disclose any more information to the media.

The woman said the accident occurred in their apartment at the corner of McNeill and Kaiwiula streets in the Kaahumanu Homes public housing complex, where there are 152 apartments.