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Man Stabbed At Haunted House After Knife Mistaken For Prop: Police

The victim said he and his friends had been chased with fake chainsaws and other prop weapons before being handed the blade.
A man is recovering after he was stabbed in the arm with a knife at a haunted house in Madison, Tennessee, on Oct. 5.
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A man is recovering after he was stabbed in the arm with a knife at a haunted house in Madison, Tennessee, on Oct. 5.

A man looking for a scare at a haunted house got one that he’ll likely never forget when he was stabbed with a knife that was mistaken for a prop, according to police.

The man, James Yochim, 29, said the real-life horror story began when he and his friends were approached by a costumed character at the Nashville Nightmare in Madison, Tennessee, on Friday night, according to a police report obtained by HuffPost.

The man, wearing skull face makeup and a straw hat, Yochim told police, offered his friend a knife after asking her if Yochim was “fucking around with her.”

“Keep in mind, we’d been chased by chainsaws, holding other weapons, all kinds of stuff all night, and it was all fake,” Yochim told the Tennessean.

Playing along, his friend, identified by Metropolitan Nashville Police as Tawnya Greenfield, 29, told the man yes, Yochim was bothering her.

The stabbing victim told police that he and his friend thought the knife (not pictured) was a prop. The man who allegedly supplied the knife reportedly said he didn't think it was that sharp.
Marccophoto via Getty Images
The stabbing victim told police that he and his friend thought the knife (not pictured) was a prop. The man who allegedly supplied the knife reportedly said he didn't think it was that sharp.

“Well here, stab him,” the costumed man allegedly replied, handing her the blade, which Greenfield told police she thought was a prop.

“So she stabs at me with it, and everything got really black,” Yochim said.

Yochim, who police said was stabbed in his forearm, said he doesn’t remember too much after that, though does remember his friend “bawling” and the costumed man apologizing and saying that he didn’t realize the knife was that sharp.

The man in costume was not identified in the police report, and it’s not clear whether he will face charges. Yochim was rushed to the Tristar Skyline hospital in Madison, where, he got nine stitches to his arm, the Tennessean reported.

Yochim, reached by phone on Wednesday, told HuffPost that he is out of the hospital but is still “obviously in a lot of pain.” He declined further comment as he seeks legal advice.

Representatives for Nashville Nightmare in an emailed statement to HuffPost said that it is continuing to investigate what happened and that an employee suspected of being involved in the stabbing has been placed on leave.

“We have robust safety and security protocols in place, including metal detectors and onsite medical and security staffs,” Nashville Nightmare said. “We are going over all of our safety protocols with all of our staff again, as the safety and security of all of our patrons is always our main concern. We have not been contacted by the police, but we will cooperate fully with any official investigation.”

The representatives declined further comment.

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