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Witness: Daughter's boyfriend died trying to save her life

EVERETT, Wash. — Witnesses say a young man was stabbed to death Monday morning after trying to break up a domestic dispute between his girlfriend’s mother and her boyfriend.

The suspect, George Bell, 40, has been booked into the Snohomish County Jail on a first-degree murder charge.

The woman involved in the fight with her boyfriend spoke to KIRO 7 about what she said happened inside a Highland Townhome on 5th Avenue West near West Casino Road in Everett.

Bobbie Dickerson says Jamal Abdul-Malik, 22, likely saved her life and her daughter’s life: "I did all I could to save him. I did all I could to save him.”

Dickerson said she'll never understand how an argument between her and her boyfriend came to this.

"It didn't have to end this way,” she cried. “It never had to end this way."

She says it started at about 1 a.m. when her boyfriend, Bell, came home.

She said she questioned him about where he’d been, they argued and that he lunged at her.

That’s when Abdul-Malik intervened. She says Bell then turned his anger toward Abdul-Malik.

"[Bell] just had this blank look on his face," she said.

Dickerson says she saw Bell swing a knife about seven times, stabbing Abdul-Malik at least once in the neck.

She says she then ran to a neighbor's home for help.

"I come running over there and I see [Abdul-Malik] on the couch, not moving," said neighbor Andrea Jourean.

Everett police say the suspect ran off and a K-9 unit found him blocks away.

“He needs to stay in jail and that's where I hope these guys put him is in jail for the rest of his life,” said Dickerson of her boyfriend.

As for the victim, neighbors say one thing's for sure.

“He died a hero," said neighbor Andrew Weber.

"Jamal was a good person. He never wanted to hurt anybody ever," said Dickerson.

The medical examiner's office has not yet confirmed the name of the victim.

Bell has an extensive criminal history that includes drug and domestic violence charges as well as failing to register as a sex offender.

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