LINCOLN, Nebraska - Lincoln Police were called to the intersection of 48th and O Street just after 1 a.m. Wednesday after receiving a report of an assault.
There, officers found a 52 year old man on the ground with several stab wounds to his neck, chest and hands. That man was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
Lincoln Police then followed a blood trail to an apartment on south 48th street where they found 26 year old Lawson Ballard. Police say he was covered in blood but did not appear hurt. Ballard told police that he hired the victim to be a private investigator but when the man asked for more and more money of the course of the evening and morning. Ballard believed he was being scammed.
Ballard says as he was walking up to the steps to the apartment, he turned around and started stabbing the victim. The two men fought over the knife and Ballard eventually shoved the victim toward the street and went inside to clean up.
Ballard was taken into custody and booked for 1st degree assault and use of a weapon to commit a felony.