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Solange Knowles’ friend and artistic partner Armina Mussa is in critical condition after getting stabbed 10 times in New Orleans’ St. Roch area on Wednesday evening (April 8), court records show. Police have arrested a suspect.

Arronesia Christophe, 26, was booked on charges of attempted second-degree murder after police say she stabbed 24-year-old Mussa outside a home in the 2200 block of N. Derbigny Street.

Mussa is the project director for Knowles’ artistic and creative brand Saint Heron and a co-owner of the French Quarter boutique, Exodus Goods. Knowles — sister of pop singer Beyoncé — attended Christophe’s first appearance at Orleans Parish Criminal Court on Thursday afternoon, courthouse sources told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.

According to records filed at Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, Christophe was arrested at the location of the stabbing about 7:03 p.m. Wednesday by New Orleans Police Officer Dominique Dejernette.

Records show Christophe told Dejernette that she had been attacked by Mussa and was acting in self-defense when she stabbed the woman.

Christophe claimed that she had arrived at a high school friend’s home about 6:45 p.m. when Mussa, who Christophe said was her friend’s ex-girlfriend, came out of the house and began yelling at her to leave, the documents show. Records show Mussa lives at the Derbigny Street home.

Christophe reportedly said, “We’re just friends, why do I have to leave?” Records show Christophe said she then grabbed a small folding knife from the center console of her car and told Mussa to “get back,” and to “please back away,” but claimed Mussa continued to yell at her.

Mussa then began punching Christophe, the arrested woman told police. Christophe said she was being pulled by her hair to the ground  when she began swinging her knife at Mussa, who she claims continued to punch her.

“(Christophe) stated she did not think she had stabbed the victim due to the harder thrown punches that she received from the victim,” Dejernette wrote in her report.

Christophe said she finally stopped swinging the knife when Mussa stepped back and said, “you stabbed me,” records show. After police were called, Christophe stayed on the scene and remained on the phone with a 911 dispatcher until the officers arrived, the record says.

Mussa was rushed to an area hospital where she underwent multiple surgeries and remains in critical condition, records show. Efforts to reach family members were not immediately successful.

A representative for Knowles said Friday that the singer had no comment but confirmed that she was not in New Orleans at the time of the incident. Knowles was in Los Angeles where she was scheduled to DJ at an event during the Coachella festival but cancelled and immediately flew back so she could be with Mussa and her family, the rep said.

Knowles attended a hearing for Christophe in magistrate Judge Harry Cantrell’s courtroom shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday, sources said. She appeared dressed in a crimson skirt, sneakers and an oversized sweatshirt and was seen talking to a police officer in the hallway before the hearing. She appeared “very concerned”, a source said.

Although police first booked Christophe on charges of aggravated battery, records show she was rebooked Friday morning on the more serious offense of attempted second-degree murder due to the severity of Mussa’s injuries.

Records show Mussa received stab wounds to “various areas of her body.” An NOPD sergeant described the wounds as “potentially fatal,” pointing to at least one stab wound to Mussa’s neck, records show.

Christophe, who records show works as an “Executive Team Lead” at Target, remains jailed at the Orleans Parish Prison on a $50,000 bond.

 

Source:  NOLA