COHASSET, MASS. (WHDH) - Authorities have identified the 25-year-old man who died while in police custody after allegedly stabbing and slashing a 24-year-old woman with a knife at a home in Cohasset on Thursday night.
Officers responding to a reported disturbance at a home on Church Street just before 10 p.m. found Erich Stelzer actively assaulting the woman with weapons, according to a statement issued by the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office.
The officers used stun guns to subdue Stelzer and rescue the victim, according to the DA’s Office.
The woman escaped and was taken to a local hospital to be treated for extensive stabbing and slashing injuries.
Stelzer, who lived at the address, was also provided medical attention and became unresponsive while being transported to an area hospital.
He was later pronounced dead.
A source tells 7News’ Jonathan Hall that Stelzer met the victim on Tinder earlier in the week and has a history of mental illness.
During the attack, he allegedly claimed he was God and the victim was a demon.
The Norfolk County DA says 25 year old Erich Stelzer – a 6’8” bodybuilder from Cohasset, died after being tasered during an altercation with a woman last night. A source says Stelzer suffered from mental illness and yelled that he was God and his victim was the demon. pic.twitter.com/duQHLd2D6Q
— Jonathan Hall (@JHall7news) December 28, 2018
A Cohasset man who reportedly has a history of mental health problems died last night while police tried to take him into custody during a violent assault. Exclusive details on @7News at noon.
— Jonathan Hall (@JHall7news) December 28, 2018
Stelzer’s neighbor said the incident has rattled residents in the usually quiet neighborhood and that they are keeping the victim in their thoughts.
“It’s kind of a shocker to see all the commotion last night,” he said. “Definitely a heavy police presence and kind of made us concerned a little bit but at the moment we’re just really thinking of her and hoping she’s okay and the family gets through this tough time.”
An autopsy will be conducted in the near future to determine Stelzer’s cause of death.
State troopers assigned to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office are assisting with the investigation.
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