St. Cloud woman stabbed 17 times during attempted murder by ex: Charges

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George Washington Harris Jr. is currently wanted by authorities after police say he tried to kill a former girlfriend who was breaking up with him – stabbing her 17 times in the process. (Supplied)

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (FOX 9) - A St. Cloud man faces multiple charges after authorities say he tried to kill a former girlfriend who was breaking up with him – stabbing her 17 times in the process.

St. Cloud woman stabbed 17 times

What we know:

George Washington Harris Jr., 42, is charged with second-degree attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon for an alleged attack that occurred on Aug. 31.

According to charges, the St. Cloud Police Department was dispatched to a residence on the 400 block of 19 ½ Avenue North around 9:40 a.m. on the report of a female that had been stabbed.

Responding officers arrived to find the victim unconscious on the sidewalk in front of the residence, with multiple wounds and lacerations. An officer at the scene described her abdomen as "having a protruding organ."

Paramedics transported her to the hospital, where she underwent surgery and is expected to survive.

Police investigation

Dig deeper:

An adult woman interviewed by police said she stayed with the victim the night before, and Harris had been "blowing up" her phone by calling and texting.

At some point during the night, they believe he came over and tore the door handle off the victim's vehicle.

In the morning, the victim went to her residence to get his keys, when a fight ensued.

According to charges, the witness described punching Harris to get him off the victim when she was cut by a knife he was holding. At that point, she ran outside to call 911 while screaming, which caught the attention of neighbors.

The witness said the victim then escaped outside, but Harris followed her to the sidewalk and continued to stab her. Neighbors began to go outside, which made Harris run away, charges state.

Police obtained a search warrant for the residence, during which they located multiple knives on the premises.

Officers located a knife believed to be used during the incident, roughly 12 inches long with a bent blade that was covered in blood, on the street nearby.

Victim interviewed

What they're saying:

On Sept. 2, law enforcement officials spoke with the victim, who said she had just broken up with Harris and was in the process of moving.

Around 8 a.m., she said she went to her home to retrieve a key, when she went upstairs to speak with him after he called her there.

According to charges, Harris said he was "messing with a TV in the bedroom" when she realized he went to grab a knife from behind a door.

She said she was able to run out of the house during his attack, but tripped, which allowed him to get on top of her and continue stabbing. She reportedly believed that he would kill her, after he had said in the past that "he will not go to jail for her again, and he would only go to jail for killing her."

According to charges, hospital personnel informed her that she had 17 stab wounds, one of which was to her left lung and causing difficulty breathing. She also told police she currently has lost feeling in three of her fingers.

What's next:

Law enforcement officials say they have been unsuccessful in locating Harris since the incident, and a warrant has been issued for this arrest.