Suspect in Market Basket parking lot stabbing appears in court

New details emerged Tuesday about a stabbing that occurred outside a Chelsea Market Basket the day before. The incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute over a parking space. 

Victor Rojas-Avalo, 25, of Revere was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, WBZ NewsRadio reported. He appeared in Chelsea District Court on Tuesday. Rojas-Avalo was ordered to not go near the victim or the store. His bail was set at $500.

The altercation began when a 50-year-old man was trying to park his car outside the grocery store when another vehicle suddenly pulled in front of him and backed into the spot, according to NBC10 Boston. 

The victim reportedly tried to film Rojas-Avalo, leading to rising tensions and an angry exchange of words. The victim’s young son, who was sitting in the backseat at the time, told police he heard the two men yelling, NBC10 reported. 

“When the victim got out of his vehicle, that’s when he stated the suspect stabbed him with a knife in his left backside,” a Suffolk County prosecutor said in court, according to the station. 

Despite bleeding from the attack, the victim was still able to show police officers images of Rojas-Avalo’s license plate that he had taken before the alleged attack. Officers located Rojas-Avalo in Revere, unloading groceries, according to NBC10. 

Rojas-Avalo reportedly told police that he used a keychain knife shaped like a pistol to defend himself. Attorney Steven Topazio told NBC10 that Rojas-Avalo was, as he understands it, “punched multiple times.”

He pleaded not guilty, and is scheduled to return to court in March.