A Butler teenager Monday recounted being stabbed twice in the back during an altercation at an apartment building in the city earlier this summer.

But some of the juvenile’s testimony at a preliminary hearing appeared to help the suspected stabber, 25-year-old Joseph R. Parker of Butler.

The 17-year-old admitted he did not see who stabbed him.

He also conceded to Parker’s attorney, public defender Ryan Helsel, that the defendant possibly acted only to help his friend, who was losing a fight to the teen.

District Judge Pete Shaffer, nonetheless, ordered Parker held for trial on charges of attempted homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, terroristic threats and possessing a prohibited offensive weapon.

Parker following the hearing was returned to the Butler County Prison where he’s being held on $250,000 bail.

Butler police suspect the incident about 10 p.m. Sept. 5 began as a fight involving seven to 10 teenagers and young men in the courtyard of an apartment building in the 400 block of West New Castle Street.

In the melee, another teen and Ashton Anthony, 20, squared off, according to testimony. The two ended on the ground fighting and soon after Parker stepped in to aid Anthony.

The teen said the defendant pulled a knife and made a threat.

In charging documents, police described the weapon as a large straight-blade knife.

“He said if I didn’t get up, he was going to kill me,” the teen testified. The teen said Parker held the knife to his throat.

The teen, during cross-examination, acknowledged that the introduction of the knife stopped the fighting. The teen said he returned to the apartment building.

Parker, who was staying at Ashton’s apartment, also went inside.

But on the third floor, the juvenile who later was stabbed confronted Ashton and Parker over the knife-wielding incident.

The teen, who testified that he did not know Parker before that night, admitted that he went looking for a fight to avenge what happened to his friend moments earlier.

Ashton testified that he and the teen started scrapping in the stairwell. At some point, Ashton said, Parker intervened and again pulled the knife, this time using it.

Ashton said he saw the defendant stab the teen two times. He testified that he believed Parker was trying to protect him.

“Why do you think Joe did this?” Helsel asked.

“I guess that’s what friends do,” Ashton replied.

The injured teen testified that he was stabbed by “a dude” but he couldn’t identify the assailant.

“You do not know if that person is here today, isn’t that right? Helsel asked.

“Yes,” the teen replied. He also admitted that he never heard the defendant threaten to kill him.

“Isn’t it fair to say that whoever stabbed you was defending (Anthony)?” Helsel said.

“Yeah, I guess,” the teen said.

The teenager suffered two stab wounds near the top of his back, close to the spine, police said. He was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital and then flown by medical helicopter to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

The teen said he remained hospitalized for five days.

Police said when they took Parker into custody at the apartment he was dressed in military-style clothing and carried a bayonet.

On the third-floor hallway, officers also recovered the knife, which had blood on the seven-inch blade.

According to the criminal complaint, Parker in an unsolicited statement, told police, “I stabbed him.” But he claimed “it was defense, he was attacking my friend.”