On Monday morning, just before 6:00, Lubbock Police responded to the Park Tower Apartments located at 27th and Avenue Q for a report of a stabbing.
When officers arrived, they found Roberto Contreras, 22, suffered multiple stab wounds. He was transported to University Medical Center.
Lubbock Police said that Contreras had just parked his car outside of the complex. When he got out, the suspect stabbed him several times. Police described the suspect as a bald, Hispanic male.
The suspect fled the scene as Contreras ran inside for help.
Carter Stanley, the property owner and manger of the apartment complex, said that Contreras ran up to Stanley’s apartment for help. Stanley said he called 9-1-1, and assisted Contreras until help arrived.
“I recognized him immediately. He was a very wonderful tenant of ours, a young fellow going to Texas Tech. A nice, sweet fella, and I was horrified to find out he had been stabbed, so of course I sat him down and comforted him a bit and called 9-1-1 to get them over here as quick as possible,” said Stanley.
The main entrance area had been closed in the morning, but Stanley says the area is now open for residents to come in as they normally would.
The incident left residents concerned for their safety. Bryan Luna shared that he and his fiancé have been living at the apartment complex for the last three months. He said he doesn’t believe it’s a safe area to live in. He had spent Sunday night at his mother’s house and returned early Monday morning to see Lubbock Police taping off the area.
“We’re coming home in the morning seeing all that there and we’re just like dang, I don’t like coming home to that,” said Luna. “I wouldn’t live here if you don’t have to live here, and if you are, just be careful.”
According to Lubbock Police, since January 1, 2017, officers have responded to the Tower Park Apartments more than 50 times for calls such as civil disturbances and theft, but most appear to only be ‘check subject’ calls.
Stanley said that safety of his residents and security are his upmost priorities. He said the complex has more than 30 security cameras in and around it, and residents can only enter the building with a magnetic key fob.
“Certainly I’m extremely concerned about security. This is the number one thing we pride ourselves in. We’re in an older part of town and people are somewhat concerned about the fact that people are sometimes coming and going, so we want to make sure our building is fully secured, so we do have a limited access building.”
The incident remains under investigation.
