BOSTON, Feb. 15, 2013—An employee at a Copley Square market allegedly stabbed a customer in the abdomen last night, causing life-threatening injuries, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

MICHAEL L. GUESS (D.O.B. 8/27/63), a.k.a. RICHARD THOMAS, of Dorchester was arraigned today in the Boston Municipal Court on one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for last night’s incident near the intersection of Boylston and Gloucester streets in Boston’s Back Bay.

Judge Sally Kelly imposed $250,000 cash bail, the amount recommended by Assistant District Attorney Edward Curley.

Boston Police responded to the scene last night at about 10:00 after a 911 call from the victim, who said he had been stabbed by an employee at the nearby Trader Joe’s market, where the two had become engaged in a confrontation. The victim, a 30-year-old Cambridge man, was suffering from a life-threatening injury to his abdomen and was transported to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he remains.

Boston Police soon located Guess sweeping up inside the market. He was transported to Boston Police headquarters, where he gave a recorded, post-Miranda statement indicating that he and the victim had exchanged words when the victim attempted to enter the store as employees were closing for the night. The victim entered, made a purchase, and was leaving when the two men again exchanged words.

“I gave him a poke,” Guess allegedly said to detectives.

The victim was so seriously injured that detectives from the Homicide Unit were notified and still have the case pending an upgrade to the victim’s condition.

At the time of his arrest last night, Guess was in default on a Woburn shoplifting case and a Brockton case charging assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Guess is represented by attorney Arnold Cohen. He will return to court on Feb. 26.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.