Solange Knowles’ friend and artistic partner Armina Mussa is in critical condition after being stabbed 10 times in New Orleans’ St. Roch area on Wednesday evening.
Armina serves as the project director for Solange’s Saint Heron brand. She’s also co-owner of the French Quarter boutique, Exodus Goods.
Police have arrested 26-year-old suspect Arronesia Christophe, who’s been booked on charges of attempted second-degree murder after police say she stabbed 24-year-old Armina in the 2200 block of N. Derbigny Street.
According to records, Armina received multiple 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 her neck.
Solange attended Arronesia’s first court appearance on Thursday.
via NOLA.com:
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 rep for Solange says that she wasn’t in New Orleans at the time of the stabbing — she was actually in L.A. preparing for her DJ set at this weekend’s Coachella. Upon hearing the news, Solange cancelled her appearance and flew back to New Orleans to be with her friend Armina and her family.
