Man Claims Self-Defense In Fatal Wallingford Stabbing: Reports

WALLINGFORD, CT — A Meriden man accused of fatally stabbing another man outside a bar in Wallingford told police he was acting in self-defense, according to multiple reports.

Kristopher Carlson, 23, was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death of 32-year-old Ernest Cipolli III of Wallingford. Carlson is accused of stabbing Cipolli multiple times outside the Corner Café, 321 Church St. in the Yalesville section of Wallingford, late Saturday night.

Police responded to the parking lot of the Corner Café around 10:25 p.m. on the report of a serious assault and found Cipolli lying on the ground from what appeared to be several stab wounds, according to Lt. Cheryl Bradley.

Cipolli died on the way to the hospital, Bradley said.

Police determined that Cipolli and Carlson had a fight in the parking lot and things “turned deadly when Carlson approached Cipolli and stabbed him numerous times with a knife,” Bradley previously said in a news release.

FOX 61 reports Cipolli and Carlson had an argument inside the bar near closing time. Cipolli later went outside and saw Carlson sitting in his car in the parking lot, and they began arguing again and a witness told police they saw Cipolli punching Carlson, according to FOX 61.

The witness then saw Carlson grab something from under his seat and hit Cipolli in the arm with something that “caused feathers to come out of his jacket,” FOX 61 reports.

Carlson told police that he had told Cipolli to “back off, back off” before striking him in the arm, according to the Meriden Record-Journal.

Witnesses told police that after stabbing Cipolli once, Carlson is accused of chasing him to the side door of the bar, which was locked, and stabbing Cipolli two or more three times, the Record-Journal reports.

Carlson is being held in lieu of a $1 million bond with a court date of Feb. 9, according to state judicial records.

Read more at the Meriden Record-Journal here and FOX 61 here.

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