Witness details alleged stabbing, South Campus party

A witness at the party in which former Syracuse football player Naesean Howard is alleged to have stabbed two former teammates described Howard as having “tunnel vision” and being “very determined” when carrying out the Saturday stabbing.

Howard was charged with two counts of assault and criminal possession of a weapon on Saturday as police responded to a stabbing incident Saturday on South Campus, said Syracuse police public information officer Sgt. Richard Helterline. The stabbing happened shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday at 321 Slocum Heights Drive., Helterline said.

The party was attended by at least 100 people, the witness said, and the get together dispersed shortly after attendees saw a man with a knife chasing after a bloody-mouthed man.

Court documents said Howard stabbed current SU defensive back Chauncey Scissum on right side of his neck, right upper chest, left shoulder and bottom lip. The felony complaint added that Howard stabbed current SU defensive back Corey Winfield in the right lower back, upper right chest, left abdomen and left wrist.

Howard, who was suspended from the SU football team in 2014 before returning to the university this semester, has been indefinitely suspended from SU, university spokesman Kevin Quinn said. The 20-year-old Syracuse native was arrested on the 1000 block of Ackerman Avenue, according to a police bulletin.

It’s unclear what led to the stabbing, police said.

— Asst. Sports Editor Chris Libonati and Asst. News Editor Michael Burke contributed reporting to this article.