Michigan Man Stabs Company President, Police Suspect Copycat Case

Police are investigating a possible copycat crime after a Michigan man allegedly stabbed his boss at a company staff meeting earlier this week.

Nathan Mahoney of Walker is accused of stabbing the President of Anderson Express Inc. in Muskegon. Mahoney was a new employee at the company, working there for only two weeks at the time of the crime.

Company President Stabbed During a Staff Meeting

The attack happened at about 9 AM on Tuesday (12/17) shortly after the workday began. Witnesses say Mahoney left during the meeting, returning about 10 minutes later and then using a 4-inch blade to stab the company president Erik Denslow in the rib cage.

WOOD-TV reports that Mahoney then took off in a black BMW, leading police on a high-speed chase before being apprehended.

Denslow has undergone surgery and is expected to recover from his injuries.

Mahoney is charged with assault with intent to commit murder and fourth-degree fleeing and eluding a police officer. The former crime is punishable by up to life in prison.

A Possible Copycat Crime

Deputy Police Chief Greg Poulson tells News 8 that no motive for the stabbing has been established but authorities are not ruling out that this could be a copycat crime after the fatal shooting of United Healthcare's CEO Brian Thompson on December 4.

"I think that comes to everyone’s mind in this time," Poulson said. "We’re going through all his social accounts, all his electronic media, and trying to determine a motive for this act."