INDEPENDENCE, MO – A Missouri man, Doc Paton, was stabbed by a stranger he had offered a ride to. The suspect, 28-year-old Tyler Rizer, is also implicated in the fatal shooting of a father of three.
Paton, who was working on his truck at his home, was approached by Rizer, a stranger, who requested a ride to Target. Rizer claimed that he needed a ride because his car had broken down. Despite the unusual circumstances, Paton agreed to help. However, the situation took a dark turn when Rizer allegedly attempted to redirect the journey multiple times and made alarming statements about being sold to a cartel.
The incident escalated on I-70 near Noland Road when Rizer reportedly seized control of the wheel and brandished a steak knife from the center console. Paton was forced to navigate through traffic under threat of being stabbed. When he managed to stop the vehicle and remove the key from the ignition, Rizer allegedly stabbed him twice in the chest.
Paton, who is still recovering from a lung wound, managed to escape the vehicle and was aided by a neighbor who chased Rizer away with a shovel. Rizer then allegedly moved on to another neighborhood where he assaulted a family, leading to a confrontation with the father, Juavvion Bagsby, which resulted in Bagsby’s death and two others being hospitalized.
Paton’s wife, Heather, expressed her gratitude to the neighbor who intervened, highlighting the importance of community support in such traumatic situations. She also voiced her husband’s warning about the dangers of offering rides to strangers.