Police: Parks Township man stabs his adult son in chest with steak knife during argument, gives brash statement

A Parks Township man stabbed his son in the chest with a steak knife during an argument Wednesday, according to state police.

The victim was flown by emergency medical helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian hospital; his condition was unknown Friday. A UPMC spokeswoman said they could not give out patient information.

State police charged James W. Suman Jr., 75, of Parks Township with attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, and harassment.

He was in Armstrong County Jail as of Friday, unable to post bail of $250,000.

Suman gave a statement to police following his arrest.

According to police, the stabbing stemmed from an argument Suman had with his son, whom he lived with in Parks Township, after he got home from work.

Both men were in the kitchen and started to argue. Suman told police his son pushed him and he fell to the ground. That set him off.

Suman said he took a steak knife from a butcher block and stabbed his son once in the chest, according to police.

Police said the son confirmed the argument. The son told police he pushed his father after his father struck him with a chair. The son said after he was stabbed, his father ran to a neighbor’s home for help.

Suman said he ran out of the home and threw the knife into a bush so police would not find it.

When police asked Suman if he was trying to kill his son, Suman allegedly told them, “I brought him into the world, I might as well take him out of it.”

Police say Suman told police that he did not feel his life was in danger and that he could have just walked away during the argument.

Suman’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. before District Judge James Andring.