West Bountiful man arrested for allegedly stabbing young relative

A 22-year-old West Bountiful man is in jail after police say he stabbed a teenage relative while the victim was sleeping.

Mitchell Howe was booked into the Davis County jail Wednesday morning on suspicion of attempted homicide.

West Bountiful Police Chief Todd Hixson said police were called to a home near 1200 North and 640 West around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.

When they arrived, police discovered Howe had allegedly stabbed a juvenile in the torso with a large knife while the boy slept. Hixon said he could not release how the two were related to one another, but said they were not brothers.

There was no prior incident involving the two that would have prompted Howe to stab the young man, Hixson said.

"It wasn't anger-driven, there was no fight," Hixson said. "They get along, and like each other."

Hixson said the stab wound was very deep, but the boy, who is younger than 16, is expected to recover. He is in the intensive care unit at a local hospital.

No one else was threatened or harmed, Hixson said, though another young child was sleeping next to the victim while he was stabbed.

"They [Howe's family] are incredibly traumatized by this," Hixson said. "Especially the kid [who was sleeping] next to him. They are pretty broke up over it."

Hixson said they are investigating whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the incident.

Charges have not been filed against Howe as of Wednesday afternoon.

jmiller@sltrib.com

Twitter:@jm_miller