A victim has died after being stabbed near Interstate 17 and Thomas Road Tuesday morning.
Around 11:15 a.m., Phoenix police say they responded to the area after receiving a 911 call from the suspect, 58-year-old Richard Ray Rains.
The victim was taken to nearby hospital where he died after being stabbed by Rains in the chest.
Rains reportedly told police that he was sitting on a blanket, under a tree, when the victim came to him looking for drugs and asked to use his phone.
When Rains refused his request, he says the man lunged at him, and Rains stabbed him.
Rains reportedly said the man had no weapons on him, but he still felt threatened and needed to protect himself and his dog.
Police say Rains could not remember if his dog became agitated when the victim approached. They say the dog did bark at officers when they arrived.
Rains is being held on a $250,000 bond on a charge of second-degree murder.
