UW student stabbed 6 times defending woman

SEATTLE — A University of Washington student is recovering from six stab wounds after helping a female assault victim who police say was attacked over a parking spot.

On the early morning of Jan. 25, Graham Harper was leaving a house party.

"I saw one girl crying and I asked her what's wrong and she said a male had just hit her,” said 19-year-old Harper.

"I was like,'Did he actually hit you?' And she showed me her black eye,” said Harper.

According to police, Jarred Ha hit the woman over a parking spot in the U-District.

"She seemed sad, scared and shocked,” said Harper.

Harper says he saw Ha yelling at another woman at the time, as well.

"(I) told him to leave, and told him you don't hit girls and I pushed him,” said Harper.

According to court documents,  Ha was out celebrating his 21st birthday that night. He pushed back--so Harper hit him. As the two tussled, Ha stabbed Harper six times.

“Out of my abdomen my intestines were coming out,” said Harper.

After nearly a week in the hospital he is walking with a cane, and doctors say he could have died.

He says he is overwhelmed by the support, with balloons and cards from friends filling his house as he recovers.

Harper, who is in the National Guard, says he loves helping people and has no regrets.

"I would do it all again, like preferably not get stabbed, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat,” said Harper.

Harper is taking the quarter off from UW because he's fallen so far behind in school from being in the hospital.

As for the suspect, police tracked him to his apartment, where he was sleeping and his roommate let police in.

Ha showed them a knife with a 3-inch blade.

He is charged with two counts of assault. He'll be in court later this month.

KIRO