Cedar Rapids stabbing victims had numerous knife wounds, police say

A Cedar Rapids man is accused of stabbing two men a total of 18 times early Sunday morning, police said.

Parish M. Harris, 20, of 5560 Sixth St. SW, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after he allegedly pulled a pocket knife during a fight at the apartment complex where he lives just before 3 a.m. Sunday. Police said the two victims, identified as Tyler Wendt, 22, and Mason Welsh, 19, both of Cedar Rapids, have been released from Mercy Medical Center.

According to the police, Wendt and Welsh went to the 5500 block of Sixth Street SW to find a man, and were approached by Harris as they knocked on a door. An argument began and it became physical.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said Wendt was stabbed 10 times in the abdomen, buttocks, left arm and left ankle, while Welsh suffered eight stab wounds to his back and left hip. The two men were driven to a hospital for treatment. They were released later in the day Sunday.

Police said the original 911 call was an assault against Harris. When they arrived on the scene, Harris was located with injuries to his face and elbows. Investigators determined he received those injuries while stabbing Wendt and Welsh, Hamblin said.

Harris' father, Marquis Harris, told SourceMedia Group his son was acting in self defense after he and his girlfriend were jumped by Wendt and Welsh. The elder Harris said the argument began after his son told Wendt and Welsh that the man they were looking for had moved out.

Wendt and Welsh became upset because they thought Harris was lying to them, Marquis Harris said.

"He said, 'Dad, I was trying to help, and I end up getting jumped,'" Marquis Harris said.

Parish Harris made his initial court appearance Sunday morning, where his bond was set at $50,000. He remained at the Linn County Jail on Monday.

Online court records show few criminal offenses for Harris in Iowa. He was convicted of misdemeanor assault and fined $65 after an incident last month.

Welsh was also taken to jail on two warrants after his release from the hospital, police said.