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Man Charged with ‘Viciously’ Stabbing Woman Outside Bar in Hazleton

HAZLETON — A man was charged Wednesday for allegedly stabbing a woman “viciously” outside a bar in Hazleton early Monday morning. The man was then shot an...

HAZLETON -- A man was charged Wednesday for allegedly stabbing a woman “viciously” outside a bar in Hazleton early Monday morning. The man was then shot and had to attend his arraignment in a wheelchair.

Nelson Hernandez-Rivera said nothing as he was wheeled from his arraignment in Hazleton and taken away in shackles.

The 34 year old was charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault for allegedly stabbing a woman outside the Crystal Lounge and Barbecue on Broad Street in the early hours Monday morning.

Now days later, detectives were back at the bar, and they say the victim remains hospitalized.

“Right now, she's in critical condition at a local trauma center,” said Det. Lt. David Bunchalk with Hazleton Police.

According to the criminal complaint, a security guard at the bar said the female victim came to the bar at 11 p.m. Sunday. Hernandez-Rivera shortly joined her and they began fighting. The guard told police when the bar closed around 2 a.m., both the woman and Hernandez-Rivera left and he followed the couple outside. That's where the guard said Hernandez-Rivera was “stabbing the victim viciously and rapidly in the chest.” The guard said he drew his gun and yelled at him to stop.

Police say Hernandez-Rivera then came after the guard, who again told him to stop, stating, “I don't want to shoot you.”

Police say the guard began running away backward, fell on his back, then shot Hernandez-Rivera in the leg as the man was still coming towards him.

Investigators say the shooting could be ruled justified.

“At all points now it looks that way, but ultimately what will happen is we'll confer with the (Luzerne County) district attorney's office and they will make the final determination,” said Bunchalk.

Police say Hernandez-Rivera lives on North Church Street in Hazleton and Hernandez-Rivera said at his arraignment he's lived there for three years. A person at the apartment said he did not live there.

The judge denied bail for Nelson Hernandez-Rivera citing the violent nature of the crime and the safety of the public.

He is being held at the Luzerne County prison.

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