Victim of mass stabbing on Apple River explains what happened
One of the five people stabbed by a knife-wielding man on the Apple River in Somerset, Wisconsin on Saturday has identified herself as Rhyley Mattison, a 24-year-old from Burnsville.
She was with a group of people tubing on the popular river when a 52-year-old Prior Lake man began stabbing people, including a 17-year-old boy from Stillwater who died.
Mattison and three others were taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, where she remains in recovery Monday. The identities of the others have not been released, though authorities said Sunday that all four survivors were in stable condition.
Mattison wrote on Facebook that "a few friends" and her were stabbed by "a random elderly man," elaborating further about the attack on her GoFundMe campaign.
"Some friends and I were tubing when we came [across] a group who were asking for our help. My friends and I went over to see what was going on and there was an older man there being inappropriate and was asked to leave but wouldn’t. The older man ended up having a knife and stabbed a few friends of mine and myself included," she wrote.
Asked if she knows why the man stabbed her, she replied to BMTN, "I do not."
Mattison launched a GoFundMe with hopes of lessening the financial burden she faces after recently losing her job and now being unable to work while she recovers from her injuries.
The 17-year-old boy who was killed in the attack was identified by KARE 11, citing the boy's family, as Isaac Schuman, of Stillwater, Minnesota.
The three other survivors are men ages 20 and 22 from Luck, Wisconsin, and a 22-year-old man from Elk River.
Deputies arrived at the scene – located about 100-200 yards from the Apple River Bridge in Somerset – just after 3:45 p.m. Saturday. Once there, they witnessed bystanders and tubers helping provide medical aid to the victims.
"At this time we're not sure what started this incident," Sheriff Scott Knudson said Saturday. "It's all believed that everybody was tubing."
More information about what prompted the attack could be revealed once the criminal charges are filed and opened to the public.
"If anyone has video of this incident, prior to or during the event, please contact Investigator John Shilts at (715) 381-4319 or by email at john.shiltsjr@sccwi.gov," the sheriff's office asked.
