Woodbury Man Bit Off Part Of Person's Ear In Brawl: Police

MANKATO, MN — Police say a Woodbury man bit off part of another person's ear during a downtown Mankato brawl. Phillip Christiansen, 35, now faces third and fifth-degree assault charges.

Just after midnight Sunday, Mankato police were dispatched to a fight near the Verizon Wireless Center. Officers noticed a significant amount of blood on the victim's face, arms and shirt and "it was obvious that his ear had been bitten," the criminal complaint states.

The victim told police he and a woman with him saw an "intoxicated" man, later identified as Christiansen, laying on the ground in front of the Verizon Wireless Center.

The woman attempted to wake him up and check on him. Christiansen then became aggressive and pushed her, according to the criminal complaint.

The victim said he intervened and a physical fight ensued, at which point Christiansen bit off a portion of his ear, according to police.

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