Northampton man charged after stabbing in downtown park claims self-defense

A Northampton man stabbed an acquaintance in Pulaski Park on Saturday afternoon and claimed he acted in self-defense, police said. Bradley Davis, 37, was arrested shortly after the incident and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The victim, 38-year-old Brandon Williamson, refused to identify his attacker to police even as he bled from a stab wound described as one-to-two inches deep.

Police arrived at the downtown park at approximately 1:20 p.m. Saturday and found Williamson in a blood-soaked shirt near a fire hydrant at the park entrance. Officer Jeronimo Fernandez applied pressure to the wound while waiting for an ambulance. As Williamson bled and appeared close to losing consciousness, he repeatedly told officers that he had stabbed himself. A person at the scene mentioned the suspect wore a red shirt and carried a baby, prompting Williamson to say "Don't snitch," according to Fernandez's report. Firefighters transported Williamson, who had "gone completely limp," to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

Confidential informants identified Davis, who also goes by the street name "Savage," as the suspect. Officer Dawn Rice reported that an informant riding a bicycle through the park saw Davis wearing clothing matching witnesses' descriptions and carrying his daughter in a blue baby carrier moments before the stabbing. Police found Davis at the Cahill Apartments on Fruit Street.

Davis told officers he stabbed Williamson in self-defense and said he threw the knife into a wooded area near a handicap ramp at the back of the park, according to Officer Dawn Rice's report. Rice wrote that Davis appeared visibly upset and had tears in his eyes, repeatedly stating he was afraid of losing his daughter. Davis claimed that Williamson and two other males threatened to beat him up, and that Williamson grabbed him by the shirt.

Detective Benjamin Beaver's report detailed Davis's account of the confrontation. Davis said he was sitting near the Academy of Music with his 7-month-old daughter when Williamson, who was smoking marijuana, approached him. Davis asked Williamson not to smoke in front of his daughter, which prompted threats from Williamson. According to Beaver's report, Davis said Williamson threatened to knock him out and claimed to have a gun nearby. When Williamson and two friends confronted Davis near the side door of the Academy of Music, Davis said Williamson grabbed him by the shirt and pinned him against the wall.

"Davis believed Williamson was about to strike him," Beaver wrote. "Because it was three-on-one and Williamson not only threatened to shoot him but knock him out, he was in fear for his life and for the safety of his seven-month-old baby." Davis said he pulled a knife from his right pocket and stabbed Williamson, then ran.

Police closed Pulaski Park during the investigation and found a black sheath near the handicap ramp and a knife approximately three feet away with its blade stuck in the ground. Detective Lt. Timothy Salkowski visited Williamson at Baystate Medical Center at approximately 4:15 p.m. Saturday and was told the wound "did not enter [Williamson's] chest cavity or cause internal damage." When Salkowski attempted to interview Williamson, the victim again refused to cooperate, saying "I don't know who did it. I don't know nothin'" and then rolled over and would not speak further.

At his arraignment in Northampton District Court on Monday morning, Davis was held without the right to bail. He was expected to return to court Wednesday morning for a pretrial conference.