Man stabbed in Scottsdale by neighbor calling for hate crime charge

PHOENIX — A Scottsdale man who was brutally stabbed by a neighbor is calling for a hate crime charge.

Thomas Williams, a 58-year-old black man, alleged the white suspect used racial slurs while stabbing him with a knife, according to local activist Jarrett Maupin.

Scottsdale police said they found Williams on Jan. 26 bleeding profusely with wounds in the abdomen and thigh at an apartment complex. Court documents said he is in stable condition.

Witnesses identified 30-year-old Keaton Formica, who was at the scene, as the attacker. He has been charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder and one county of burglary.

In charging documents, authorities do not mention racial epithets but said Formica showed signs of mental illness.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said there is no state hate crime statute. But his office is still reviewing the case and may seek a stiffer penalty for a crime committed with extreme malice.

Formica will appear in court next on Feb. 2 for a status conference.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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