Man charged with stabbing two co-workers: hear from man who police say stopped suspect in the act

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The man accused of stabbing two of his co-workers is being held without bail tonight. Tonight, we are hearing from the man who police say helped save his co-workers when they came under attack. Police are crediting the man with knowing Jujitsu.

Lito M was at work one minute Monday morning. Then, he says he was in the middle of a knife fight on the top floor of this construction site.

“He came in and was stabbing our co-workers, and we pinned him down. While the guys were holding him, I got behind him, and I choked him out and pinned him down to the ground and cops got there,” said Lito.

Cambridge Police say Carcensky Salvent, 21, came up behind one co-worker who was up on this ladder and stabbed him four to five times in the upper leg. Police say this is the knife. A second co-worker was also stabbed while trying to break it up. Lito, who takes self defense, jumped in.

“I don’t see brave. I just see I had to do it. My co-workers were getting stabbed,” said Lito.

Cambridge Police Deputy Superintendent Pauline Wells told us Lito acted bravely and helped police when they arrived on scene minutes after the attack.

“He is studying Jujitsu. He is a beginner, and I have told him what a great job he did. He put a hold on him so he couldn’t move,” said Wells.

“My arms were going numb. I was starting to go numb a little bit, but I just kept switching back and forth from being taught,” said Lito.

Because the building is still under construction, there were no working stairways, so police say it was difficult for emergency crews to get up to the victims on the third floor.

“We were able to use a boom that they have to extricate the two people who need the medical aid,” said Wells.

In court, Salvant kept saying out loud he was disrespected and trying to collect on a debt.

“He owes me 14 grams,” said Salvant.

Middlesex Assistant District Attorney Bayley Weese handled the arraignment.

“He told officers, he was yelling, ‘he disrespected me, he owed me money. Nobody disrespects me like that. I’m going to kill him,’” said Weese.

Salvant’s family was in court. They told us off camera this is completely out of character for their son.

Salvant faces two counts of Armed Assault to Murder, two counts of Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon (knife), and Assault and Battery to Collect a Loan, according to police. Salvant is expected to be arraigned later Monday. The case returns to court on April 14 for a dangerousness hearing.