IU student arrested for stabbing another man

An IU student was arrested Wednesday for stabbing another man on March 6.

Twenty-year-old Eric Sponseller faces a preliminary charge of battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a Class C felony, said Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Jeff Canada. Sponseller declined to comment.

On March 9, the Indiana Daily Student reported that officers were called at 3:16 a.m. on March 6 to East 19th Street in response to a call that a 22-year-old man had been attacked by two or three men and had been stabbed twice.

The man was taken to Bloomington Hospital.

Police received an anonymous tip on March 10 from someone who had not been at the scene but identified a witness, Canada said, reading from a police report.

Officers began an investigation and contacted the witness, who said he had seen Sponseller that night with blood on his face and a broken knife in his hand. Sponseller told the witness he had gotten into a fight with and stabbed someone. The handle of the knife had broken off, Canada said, reading from the police report.

The knife used was a Showtime Six Star steak knife, nearly three and a half inches of which stuck in the victim, Canada said, reading from the police report. Police later found the remainder of the steak knife set Sponseller allegedly hid outside of his residence and arrested Sponseller.

Sponseller is currently out on bond. The victim is in good condition but still recovering from wounds, Canada said.

IU Dean of Students Dick McKaig said the University typically works with the Bloomington Police Department in these cases to see if any part of the IU code has been violated.

McKaig said any violations are dealt with confidentially through the University’s judicial board.