Columbia police say officer stabbed during arrest

Police: Man arrested after string of crimes

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO)– Columbia Police say a man is facing several charges including stabbing an officer.

According to investigators at 11:30 Monday morning police responded to Elmwood Ave. where Brian King, 44, was allegedly vandalizing a business.

Police say King, who was described as irate, refused to leave and hit the business owner with a metal object.

Authorities say afterward, King tried to break into a neighboring business when police caught up with him and took him into custody.

After his initial arrest, police say King was being taken to the hospital as a precaution via ambulance and was able to escape.

Additional officers and a K9 team were able to track him to Pope St.

At that location, police say King stole a car and crashed it into a street sign, broke into a house where he stole a pocket knife.

A short time later, police say he used the stolen knife to stab an officer trying to arrest him.

The injury was not life threatening and police say King was taken into custody.