Idaho stabbings: Nine injured after 'unprovoked' knife attack at apartments housing refugees

Police do not know the attacker's motive yet

US police have shot 698 people in 2016 so far. Four times more black than white people have been shot (Getty)

Idaho police have arrested a man after a mass stabbing at a Boise apartment complex housing many refugee families.

Boise Police Chief Bill Bones said nine individuals were taken to area hospitals, some with life-threatening injuries, following the Saturday night attack.

"At this point we haven't lost anybody, but as I said the injuries are very serious," Bones said.

The police have not yet discovered the attacker's motive.

"It's a single evil individual who attacked," Bones said. "No provocation that we are aware of."

"We haven't had anything involving this amount of victims in a single attack in Boise in the history of the department. Obviously it's something you hope never comes to your city.

"He did come from out of state, but I don't know how long he's been in the city," Police Chief Bone added.

Police received a report of a stabbing at 8:46pm, reaching the apartment complex within four minutes. They found victims in the parking lot and inside the apartment complex.

Witnesses reported that the suspect had fled, and police arrested a 30-year-old man a short distance away.

Investigators said they did not yet know if the suspect was connected to the victims in any way.

Police have not released the names or ages of the victims, but said their age ranges varied dramatically and that "it's affected all aspects of the families" who live at the complex.

Investigators were searching a nearby canal and the crime scene late Saturday night. Police Chief Bones said police believe the knife used in the stabbing was discarded by the suspect prior to his arrest.

Associated Press