A man was killed and a woman was seriously injured in a knife attack at an I-80 rest stop near Grand Island, Nebraska. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday morning, was reportedly an attempted robbery.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they found a man and a woman in their 70s from Eureka, Missouri, both with stab wounds. The man, 72 years old, was taken to Grand Island Regional Hospital, where he later died. The woman, 71 years old, is in critical condition at the same hospital.
The suspect, 22-year-old James Thompson Jr. of Elyria, Ohio, was arrested by Nebraska State troopers after a high-speed chase. The chase ended when the suspect’s vehicle went off the road and into the Platte River.
While the investigation is ongoing, authorities believe that the stabbings occurred during an attempted robbery.
In a statement, the Nebraska State Patrol praised the teamwork of the troopers and deputies in quickly locating and apprehending the suspect. They expressed their condolences to the victims and their family.
The incident took place at a rest area at mile marker 316.5 on I-80.