Mineral County man charged in stabbing enters not guilty plea

A man accused of stabbing family members in St. Regis earlier this month entered a not guilty plea Wednesday in Mineral County District Court.

Thomas Philip Gunderson Jr. is charged with three counts of attempted deliberate homicide in relation to the alleged unprovoked knife attack on Jan. 6 that wounded three people, including a child.  

Gunderson, whose bail was set at $1 million, denied all of the charges during his arraignment in front of Judge Jason Marks. His next court appearance is March 19. 

Charging documents allege Gunderson stabbed each of the victims multiple times with a hunting knife. One of the victims, a 13-year-old girl, was stabbed 11 times and had both of her lungs punctured.  

According to charging documents, one of the victims called Mineral County dispatchers Jan. 6 at about 4:53 p.m., stating that she had been stabbed by her brother. The victim also said Gunderson had stabbed her teenage daughter and her 71-year-old father. 

Sheriff Ryan Funke and a deputy responded to the scene on with weapons drawn. Inside the home, the deputy allegedly found Gunderson standing in a doorway with his hands raised in the air. He refused to follow orders and resisted arrest before the deputy was able to take him to the ground and place him in handcuffs, documents state. 

While emergency medics were treating the victims, Gunderson was allegedly heard muttering repeatedly, "Sorry I killed you, dad." 

A broken knife was recovered from the scene, documents state. 

Gunderson's sister was stabbed at least four times while attempting to protect her daughter, documents state, while her father suffered multiple stab wounds after confronting Gunderson. 

The sister told investigating deputies that Gunderson had recently mentioned having symptoms similar to schizophrenia and that she had attempted to get him to seek medical help, documents state. 

A GoFundMe account to support the family had raised about $5,000 as of Jan. 22.