Las Cruces Police: Apartment tattoo argument leads to machete attack

Las Cruces Police have arrested a 26-year-old they suspect of swinging a machete at another man causing a severed finger and a deep laceration to the victim’s forearm

Fred Allen Price Gower, of 2400 S. Espina St., was arrested early Monday morning and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center on an open count of attempted first-degree murder.

Shortly before 11 a.m. on Aug. 5, Las Cruces Police were sent to 810 E. Foster Rd. where a 49-year-old man had a severed finger and a deep cut to his right forearm. The man was transported to Memorial Medical Center and then flown to University Medical Center of El Paso.

His injuries are not life-threatening.

According to police, Gower was at 810 E. Foster Rd. where he was having the image of a prison guard tower tattooed on his left shoulder.

During that time, the 49-year-old came in to visit with the tattoo artist and began using a computer in another room.

During a break in the tattooing, Gower started arguing with the 49-year-old manm allegedly verbally threatened to kill him, and then armed himself with a machete, police said.

Police said Gower then started swinging the machete at the man and allegedly struck the man’s head with the blunt edge of the weapon.

Gower allegedly continued swinging the machete toward the victim who used his hands and arms to deflect the machete, and then ran from the apartment in an attempt to seek safety.

Gower also fled the apartment but was located by Las Cruces Police early Monday morning. He is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.