By Mark Wineka

Salisbury Post

SPENCER — A 12-year-old Spencer boy is in a youth detention center in Alexander County after being charged Sunday with stabbing another juvenile.

Police Chief Robert Bennett said the 13-year-old victim’s stab wounds were not life threatening, but the youth was transported to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center because of a medical problem unrelated to the assault.

Bennett said he expects to talk to the victim and receive a full hospital report later this week.

“That will give us a detailed summary of all the wounds,” he said.

Meanwhile, the 12-year-old has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill, inflicting serious bodily injury.

Bennett described cut marks to the head and stomach of the victim and a stab wound to his back.

The weapon has not been found. The victim was able to identify his assailant.

The juveniles reportedly attend North Rowan Middle School.

Bennett said Spencer officers were called to an assault at 6:06 p.m. Sunday in a driveway at 510 Ninth St., where they found the victim bleeding. He initially went to Rowan Regional Medical Center before being transported to the Winston-Salem hospital.

The victim told police he did not know why the other boy assaulted him or what kind of weapon he used, Bennett said.

Police found the suspect at his home, took him and his mother to the Police Department and contacted Juvenile Services, which issued a custody order on the charge.

Bennett said the suspect would not give a statement. He reiterated that police have not been able to speak with the victim at length as of Monday evening.

“His status, as of this morning, was good,” Bennett said Monday.

Sgt. Eric Ennis investigated. Bennett said he expected the suspect’s first hearing before a judge would be Friday.