Michael Shreve

The suspect in the Dec. 22 stabbing in Sugar Grove is behind bars.

Michael Conner Shreve, 22, was taken into custody by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office at approximately 7:30 a.m. Christmas morning, according to a report from the Jamestown Post-Journal.

He was arrested at his residence at 1732 Blockville-Watts Flats Road in Ashville, N.Y.

The charges against him were filed by Warren-based Pennsylvania State Police on Christmas Eve.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, troopers were dispatched at 1:36 a.m. on Dec. 22 to a report of a fight between Shreve and the victim at the Bucket Cafe,14 Main St. in Sugar Grove Borough.

“While (en route) to the initial call, we received a second call stating that there was a second altercation and that one of the males had been stabbed and that the (defendant) then fled the scene in a ‘red Pontiac.'”

When police arrived at the scene, they reported observing the victim “on the sidewalk sitting against a brick wall… I observed that the victim was bleeding heavily from the back-left side of his head. The victim was unable to relate on scene what had happened due to his injuries.”

When EMS arrived, police said it was determined that the wound was a puncture wound.

On scene, police interviewed a woman who said she “observed the two fighting but did not observe the knife or stabbing.”

She “related that after they separated she noticed that (Shreve) had a knife” and “related that (Shreve) stated ‘I hope you bleed to death.'”

Police undertook a search of the area as witnesses told troopers that Shreve “fled in the area of Catlin Hill Road.”

“While proceeding towards the New York border, we were contacted by dispatch that (Shreve) was in the area of Hoag Road in Harmony Township, Chautauqua County, New York.”

Troopers proceeded to that area “just south of the intersection with Washington Street, where we and an officer from Lakewood/Busti Police Department made contact with (Shreve).”

Police conducted a search “and found that he did not possess a knife,” although a K-9 Unit from the Chautauqua County Sheriff Department searched the area, which “yielded a knife from the wooded area that (Shreve) had come from.”

Shreve, according to the affidavit, told police he had been at the “Bucket bar in Sugar Grove Borough” and “related that he had been in an altercation with the victim” and “during the altercation, he brandished a knife and swung it at the victim. (Shreve) related that he was unsure if he struck him. (Shreve) related he was scared and fled the scene.”

At 6:30 a.m. on the 22nd, police reported interviewing a witness who was with Shreve that evening.

That witness acknowledged an “altercation” at about 1:30 a.m. which ended “and she and (Shreve) went to the Kwik Fill gas station…”

The witness told police that they returned to the Bucket Cafe to pick up her mother “and she told (Shreve) to stay in the vehicle while she got her mother from inside.” She told police that “while inside she and the victim entered a verbal argument and were asked to leave the bar” and said that was when a second argument ensued between Shreve and the victim “but she turned and walked away and did not observe the fight.”

On Christmas even at 12:20 a.m., police interviewed an additional witness who was at the bar on the night of the 22nd and reportedly observed the second altercation between Shreve and the victim.

She “related (Shreve) was still in the vehicle but that the two started yelling at each other….. (and Shreve) got out of the vehicle and started walking towards the victim.”

The witness told police she “attempted to hold the victim back but that he pushed away from her and proceeded towards (Shreve).” She said an additional individual was attempting to hold back Shreve but was also unsuccessful.

She then reported that “she only saw (Shreve) swing at the victim one time and the victim fell back and had blood on his face” and said, “that is when she noticed (Shreve) had a knife.”

Troopers report in the affidavit that she told them “they all started screaming to get (Shreve) away from there so they didn’t get into another altercation.” She also “related that she then held a towel against the wound on the victim’s head.”

Police said the victim was first transported to UPMC WCA Hospital in Jamestown, N.Y. before the decision was made “that the victim would need transferred to UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pa. for surgery.”

The affidavit of probable cause then details an interview with the victim conducted on Christmas Eve at about 10:30 a.m. at UPMC Hospital.

“The victim related there was a previous verbal altercation between (Shreve) and himself but that nothing physical took place. The victim related that they were separated and went back inside the bar. The victim then related as he was leaving the bar (Shreve) was outside and there was approximately 20-30 yards between them. The victim related that they were shouting at each other and closing the distance. The victim related that he observed something in (Shreve’s) hand and felt that the way (Shreve) was holding his had (sic) that it was a weapon of some sorts. The victim related that (Shreve) then lunged at him and struck him.

“The victim related (Shreve) then stood over him and stated, “I hope you (expletive) bleed out.'”

The criminal complaint indicates that the weapon was a “folding pocket knife.”

Shreve’s arrest unfolded Tuesday morning.

“The Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Lakewood-Busti Police Department were contacted by state police Tuesday notifying them that an arrest warrant was out on Shreve, who was believed to be in the Ashville and Busti area,” the Post-Journal reported. “Shreve was located at 7:30 a.m. and was taken into custody. He was arraigned in Chautauqua Town Court and committed to county jail as a fugitive from justice.”

Shreve faces felony charges including criminal attempt-criminal homicide, two counts of aggravated assault and flight to avoid apprehension/trial/punishment. Other charges include three counts of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, tamper with/fabricate physical evidence and two counts of harassment, online court records indicate.

District Attorney Rob Greene said on Wednesday that the Commonwealth would be seeking Shreve’s extradition.