Teen Fatally Stabs Uncle's Attacker -- Who Turns Out to Be Boy's Father

A teenage boy from Pierce County, Washington, unwittingly stabbed his father to death Friday night when coming to the defense of his uncle. KOMO on the tragic turn of events:

Sgt. Mike Blair of the Pierce County Sheriff's Office told KOMO that the son ran out to the driveway of the home when seeing his uncle attacked by an unidentified assailant with a crowbar.

"The teen stabbed the attacker multiple times in an attempt to defend his uncle - not knowing that the attacker was his own father, Blair said."

ABC News reports that the 47-year-old father was estranged from the family, and that the 17-year-old son has not yet been taken into custody.

“'He was standing up for the safety of his uncle — it just so happened that it ended up being his father who was killed,' Blair said, adding, 'certainly we would allow a member of our community to protect somebody who’s being feloniously assaulted, and that’s kind of where we’re at right now.

'Based on the circumstances … we were comfortable that this person is not a danger to the rest of society,' he said."

The father's girlfriend could not explain why he would have started the fight with his brother.