West Virginia University’s Police Department announced the arrest of a student following a reported stabbing near the campus’s Downtown area. The incident occurred at 565 Price Street, an off-campus private residence, on Friday evening, May 2.
The University Police received a report of the stabbing around 10:30 p.m. Officers quickly detained the suspect, Kaden James Vinar, age 21, who is identified as a university student from Champlin, Minnesota. He faces a felony charge of malicious wounding.
The victim, also a student at WVU, sustained a non-life-threatening knife wound to the leg. They were treated at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital.
Vinar made his first court appearance on Saturday, May 3, at the Monongalia County Magistrate Court.
In a statement, UPD Chief Sherry St. Clair confirmed, “This was not random. The alleged suspect and the victim know each other. The victim was visiting Vinar’s home at the time of the incident.” She commended the officers’ prompt response, stating, “The quick response from our officers to locate the suspect and take him into custody ensured this remained an isolated incident. At no point was there a threat to campus, and for that, our officers are to be commended. We always encourage our students and other members of the University community to work on healthy ways to resolve conflicts.”
Chief St. Clair emphasized the importance of conflict resolution and noted that the university provides various safety and support services. The UPD offers safety training, including verbal de-escalation, while Student Life provides mediation options through Student Legal Services and counseling via the Carruth Center.
Additional resources are available for students and staff, including the WVU Police Department, WVU CARE Team, and WVU Carruth Center, among others.
The university encourages the use of safety preparedness resources available on their safety website and through social media by following the WVU Safety and Wellness Facebook page and @WVUsafety on X. The LiveSafe app is recommended for up-to-date safety information.
