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    Police-Fire Reports
    Thursday, April 25, 2024

    Groton slashing case headed to major crimes court

    A 20-year-old Groton man accused of inflicting serious wounds on two men July 11 by slashing them with a razor blade will make his first appearance Tuesday in the New London court where major crimes are tried.

    Andre Young, of 107 Spicer Ave., Apt. 4, has been held in lieu of $500,000 since the incident. He is charged with two counts of first-degree assault, carrying a dangerous weapon, interfering with police, third-degree assault and breach of peace.

    According to court documents, the stabbing occurred about 10:30 p.m. on one of the busiest nights of the year. An estimated 100,000 people had gathered along the Groton side of the Thames River for the Sailfest fireworks, 62 police officers from several departments were on duty and the Groton City police dispatch center was experiencing a high number of calls.

    Responding to several 911 reports of an altercation in the area of 45 North St., police found two men suffering from stab wounds. Christopher Bachinski, 33, had a 9-inch wound from the left of his chest to the inside of his left bicep, according to a court document. Ian Staub, 21, had a 7-inch slash wound on his right arm that was bleeding so profusely that emergency medical responders believed an artery had been severed. Both were taken to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.

    Witnesses told police they had seen two men and a woman with a bloody T-shirt fleeing north on North Street toward Spicer Avenue. The officers followed a trail of blood from the scene to 107 Spicer Ave., No. 4, where they saw the back deck had just been washed, but said a significant amount of blood remained, along with a straight-edge razor blade commonly used in a utility knife.

    Though the three occupants of the apartment said they didn't know anything about an assault, police said they entered to make a protective sweep and found Young hiding in a rear bedroom closet. He was bleeding from wounds to both hands and was taken into custody at gunpoint. He was treated at police headquarters and taken to Lawrence + Memorial for further treatment.

    The police said they also found Young's brother, 19-year-old Ian Young, hiding in a closet in the master bedroom. He, too, was arrested, and once the police removed the men from the house, the female occupant, Andre Young's girlfriend, Brittany Gilcrease, admitted she was present at the altercation and had changed out of a bloody T-shirt, according to police.

    Witnesses positively identified the two brothers and Gilcrease, according to a court document, and Ian Young implicated his brother in the stabbing. Charged with third-degree assault, Ian Young has a case pending in the lower court as does Gilcrease, 20, who is charged with interfering with police. Zachary Higgins, 19, also was charged with breach of peace in connection with the incident, according to court records.

    k.florin@theday.com

    Twitter: @kflorin

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