Father Fatally Stabbed By Son During Argument Over Cable Subscription: Police

A 59-year-old man in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, has died after he was allegedly stabbed by his son while making a 911 call Wednesday.

Steven Earle died in a hospital Wednesday after sustaining multiple stab wounds during an alleged altercation with his 24-year-old son Travis Earle at a residence in South Bend Township, near Mankato, local news outlet Free Press reported.

Steven told authorities that his son was responsible for his injuries before the father died, Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Captain Paul Barta said during a media briefing Friday.

The father initially called 911 around 1 p.m. Wednesday reporting his son had a knife, was acting violent and was "bullying him around," Bring Me The News reported, citing a criminal complaint filed in Blue Earth County District Court.

When the 911 dispatcher asked if he was injured, Steven replied, "I'm hurting." The phone call then disconnected.

The dispatcher called back, and the father was still able to answer. In the call, the dispatcher heard Steven telling his son to "get out of my room please." According to the complaint, "scuffling and yelling can then be heard, which turns into screaming."

The line disconnected again, and attempts to call back went straight to voicemail.

Police officers went to check on Steven and found his son outside the residence. Travis claimed that his father came at him with a knife. He then told officers that his dad was inside the house and "might be dead."

Police found Steven sitting on the floor and against a couch inside the home. He was able to speak but was becoming less coherent with time as he was suffering from "several severe injuries consistent with knife wounds and substantial blood loss," the complaint said.

Deputies found a double-edged dagger-style knife on the couch. Steven’s cellphone was also found broken on the floor.

Steven shared details of what happened before being transported to Mayo Clinic Health System’s hospital in Mankato.

“He did make comments that his son was responsible for his injuries,” Barta said. “No one else was at the residence at the time.”

Steven told police he originally had the knife to protect himself, but his son allegedly took it from him and stabbed him while he was on the phone with 911.

During an interview with a detective, Travis stated that the altercation started after his dad got upset with him for trying to cancel a cable subscription.

At some point during the altercation, Steven called 911, and his son admitted saying, "If you call the cops, I'm going to stab you with your own knife."

Travis stated that they fought over the knife and eventually he “twisted (his father’s) hands back” toward him and “stabbed him with it.”

The son told investigators he didn’t mean for it to happen and hoped his dad was OK. Travis also said he planned to call an ambulance until he saw a squad car arrive.

Travis was charged with one count of second-degree intentional murder and one count of second-degree unintentional murder. He is currently being held in the Blue Earth County Jail.

His bail has been set at $2 million with no conditions and $1 million with conditions, WSAZ reported. His next court appearance will be May 12 in Blue Earth County.