Grandfather stabbed to death trying to stop man from doing drugs in front of kids at park

A grandfather was stabbed and killed over the weekend while celebrating his grandchild's first birthday after asking a man to stop doing drugs near the party, police say.

Mike Shereda was stabbed more than a dozen times Saturday afternoon at Utica's Grant Park -  near Van Dyke and Hahn Street. He was with his family celebrating the birthday of his grandchild.

Shereda noticed a suspicious man doing drugs and asked him to leave. The suspect apparently went into a rage and stabbed him ten times, killing him in front of his family in the middle of the public park.

The suspect was arrested and is awaiting charges Monday morning. 

Shereda is a father of six and has 17 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His daughter says he was a family man and an avid outdoorsman.

His oldest daughter, Angela, wasn't at the party but says the family is understandably inconsolable about what they witnessed. 

"I don't think it is fair out of all people he did not deserve this," she said. "He was a great dad best dad to everyone of us kids and an even better grandpa."

The man suspected of killing Shereda has not been identified.

A GoFundMe has been set up for Shereda and his family.