An argument inside a Butler apartment Wednesday afternoon ended with one man stabbed in the back with a steak knife, authorities said.

But the alleged attacker was gone by the time city police got to the home in the 200 block of North Elm Street.

John Patrick Conley III, 25, who has no address and was staying at the apartment, is charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault in the altercation about 5:20 p.m.

The victim, 34-year-old Jessie Markovitz of Butler, was taken Butler Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Police believe that Markovitz and one of the tenants were in the bathroom talking when Conley began kicking the door and demanding that Markovitz come out.

There were several other people at the home at the time, according to investigators.

Markovitz was barely out the door when Conley attacked him in the upper back with the 5-inch bladed knife, said police Capt. David Dalcamo.

Another man at the apartment stepped in and broke up the altercation.

Markovitz managed to make it to an apartment building in the 300 block of East Brady Street about 100 yards away, police said. A woman there notified authorities that Markovitz had been stabbed.

Conley fled but that night spoke to police by telephone. He agreed to appear at the police station for questioning at 8 a.m. today.

But by 8:15 a.m., he still had not shown up, Dalcamo said. An arrest warrant was to be issued.

Meanwhile, Conley already was free on bail while awaiting trial on misdemeanor assault charges stemming from a New Year’s Day domestic dispute in Butler Township.