WEST YORK — An 18-year-old West York man was arrested earlier this month after police say he attacked his family, prompting his sister to injure him with a knife in self-defense.
Abel Blanco-Lopez, of the 1400 block of West King Street, is charged with strangulation, simple assault, terroristic threats, and harassment in connection to the incident, which occurred at his family’s home on Sunday, August 12.
According to West York Police, officers were summoned to the home at 1:50 p.m. for the report of a stabbing. Blanco was not on the scene when the arresting officer arrived; he had been transported to York Hospital for treatment of a knife wound to his neck.
Blanco-Lopez’s sister, Silvia Segura, was taken from the scene to the West York Borough Police Station, where she was interviewed by police. Segura said the incident began earlier that day, when her brother asked her to give him a ride in her car. Segura told Blanco-Lopez she would, but only if he did not bring his “Beats” headphones, because he is constantly losing them, according to the arrest affidavit.
Segura told police that Blanco-Lopez went downstairs and got into an altercation with their mother, then returned to Segura’s room and attacked her, punching her in the face and head. He then allegedly assaulted Segura’s mother and sister, choking her mother during the assault. The altercation moved to the living room, according to Segura, where Blanco-Lopez continued to attack his mother and both sisters. Segura eventually ran out of the home and attempted to get to her vehicle, while trying to call 911, according to the criminal complaint.
On her way out of the house, Segura told police, she grabbed a knife in case Blanco-Lopez followed her. As she got to the back yard, Segura told police, Blanco-Lopez caught her and began punching and cursing at her. At that point, Segura told police she swung the knife at him, cutting him on the neck.
Police say Segura had a previous outstanding arrest warrant, and was transported to Central Booking for that alleged offense. But police determined that she was acting in self-defense when she swung the knife at Blanco-Lopez, according to the criminal complaint.
Blanco-Lopez allegedly admitted to fighting with his family and chasing his sister into the back yard, where he was cut on the neck, according to the criminal complaint.
