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Two men nabbed
in stabbing of player
A third suspect is at large
By Jaymes K. Song
in the Dec. 26 knifing of the
OSU football player here
for the Oahu Bowl
Star-BulletinHonolulu Police have arrested two 18-year-old men for attempted murder in connection with last month's stabbing of an Oregon State University football player.
The player, Charles O'Neal, was stabbed in the back hours after playing in the Jeep Oahu Bowl.
One suspect, who resides at a Likini Street apartment in Salt Lake, was arrested at police headquarters yesterday at 11:05 a.m., according to arrest records. He was booked for second-degree attempted murder.
The second suspect was arrested at his Kaimuki home about two hours later. He was also booked for second-degree attempted murder.
Police said they are looking for a third suspect, who they describe as an "adult local male."
O'Neal, 21, was stabbed in the back after leaving a Waikiki Jack-in-the-Box restaurant with teammate Paul Luoma in the early morning of Dec. 26, the day after the Bowl game. Luoma, 26, was treated for a cut and flew back with the team.
Police said the attack was unprovoked.
O'Neal, a 6-foot-2, 288-pound defensive lineman, suffered a 4-inch deep cut. The knife was still stuck in his back when police arrived at the scene.
He was hospitalized for two days and spent a couple of more days resting before leaving Oahu on New Year's Eve to spend time with his family.
O'Neal thanked a security guard that warded off his attackers before leaving Honolulu and said the blade of the knife touched his spine, but did not damage it.
Hal Cowan, director for Oregon State sports information, said today that O'Neal is doing fine and attending classes. But he is still being treated in the wound area by trainers
"I'm happy there's some conclusion to it," Cowan said.
He added that the stabbing would not prevent Oregon State from possibly returning to a future bowl game in Hawaii.
"That's one of those unfortunate things that happens," he said. "It does not diminish the great experience over there. It does not detract from the overall experience from the bowl. It was a great experience, other than the loss."
