Man slashes woman with samurai sword

A Bloomington man was arrested Monday night after giving an 18-year-old woman eight- to nine-inch cut on her buttocks with a samurai sword.\nAshunti D. Taylor, 26, faces preliminary charges of battery with a deadly weapon.\nBloomington Police Department officers were dispatched at about 9:30 p.m. to the 1000 block of North Jackson Street in reference to a disturbance, BPD Sgt. Jeff Canada said, reading from a police report. When officers arrived at the residence, they learned that the victim was being treated at the hospital for injuries that occurred during an argument, Canada said.\nOfficer Tiffany Willingham arrived at the hospital and learned the victim had given her dog to an unidentified woman that lived with Taylor, Canada said. The victim and a friend went to the residence to check up on the dog when Taylor became confrontational about the puppy. During Taylor’s conversation with the victim, the dog got excited and began jumping on the couch. Taylor grabbed the dog and threw it off the couch, Canada said.\nThe victim began arguing with Taylor about his treatment of the dog. Taylor continued yelling at the victim when she pushed him in order to escape, Canada said. Taylor slapped the victim in the mouth and the victim returned the slap with a punch, Canada said.\nTaylor left the room and came back with a black samurai sword in his hand, Canada said. Taylor swung the sword but missed the victim. As the victim was leaving the residence, Taylor swung the sword again, creating a cut on her buttocks that was eight to nine inches long and two inches wide, Canada said. \nTaylor admitted to officers that he “took a swipe at her,” Canada said. He was arrested and transported to the Monroe County Jail.