Police: North Side man says stabbing at New Year's party was in self-defense

A man from Pittsburgh’s Central North Side told city police he stabbed a man in the ribs early Wednesday in self-defense because the man wouldn’t leave a New Year’s party after fighting with his brother, according to a criminal complaint.

Dalbert Banks, 38, told police he was the man they were looking for when officers responded to a report of a stabbing at 4:25 a.m. at an apartment on Boyle Street, according to the complaint.

“It was me,” Banks said as he came forward from a group of people who were at the apartment, according to the complaint.

Police handcuffed Banks and noted there was blood on his pants. During a sweep of the apartment, police found a hunting knife under a mattress in a bedroom, according to the complaint.

Banks was taken in for questioning, where he told police he had acted in self-defense. He told police he had some people over for a party and that he was in a bedroom when he heard a fight in the kitchen, according to the complaint.

He told police he went into the kitchen and saw his girlfriend’s cousin beating up his brother, according to the complaint. Banks thought the fight was over and returned to the bedroom when he heard more fighting.

Banks asked for a lawyer when police asked him what happened next, according to the complaint.

Banks is charged with aggravated assault. The man who was stabbed was taken to the hospital and was in critical condition, police said.