Police: Man stabs vet workers after cat dies

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham police say a 57-year-old man has been arrested for attacking two veterinary workers with a knife after his cat died.

Charles Anthony Smith was arrested for investigation of assault Thursday. Police said he was angry about the animal’s death when he went to the Maplewood Animal Hospital at about 8:15 a.m. and attacked one of the veterinarians with a kitchen knife.

They say she managed to get the knife away from him but suffered a cut on her hand.

According to investigators, Smith then pulled out a second knife, threatened the front-desk staff and took off.

As police looked for him, they received a call from another clinic saying a man had come in and stabbed a female employee in the neck without saying a word. The wound was not considered life-threatening.

Police say an officer pulled him over about 20 minutes later.

It wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney.