Hibbing woman charged in bar stabbing

A Hibbing woman faces a felony charge after allegedly stabbing another patron at a Mountain Iron bar last week.
Ashleigh Marie King, 28, is charged with second-degree assault in the early morning incident at the Sawmill Saloon and Restaurant on Aug. 8. Authorities said King stabbed 46-year-old Suzanne Erickson with a knife after an argument related to pull tabs.
Witnesses told police that the incident escalated when several people involved began throwing glasses, with a shard apparently striking King near the eye, according to a criminal complaint. After things settled down, witnesses said King left the bar and retrieved something from her car.
Erickson told deputies that King returned and punched her in the stomach before leaving again. Shortly thereafter, the victim noticed she was bleeding and realized that she had been stabbed, the complaint said.
Erickson was taken to a Duluth hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, but did require surgery on her stomach.
The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office reported that surveillance video obtained from the bar confirmed the accounts given by the victim and witnesses.
King turned herself in to authorities later that day and made an initial appearance Thursday in State District Court in Virginia. She later posted bond and was released from jail, with her next hearing set for Aug. 21.
Sawmill owner Alissa Horan addressed the incident in a Facebook page last week. She called it an “isolated incident” and said her staff reacted quickly to diffuse the situation and call 911.
“My management team and I work very hard to put policies and procedures into place to ensure a positive working environment and a safe and welcoming environment in which patrons can gather to enjoy food and beverages,” Horan wrote.