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The employee, Jakob T. McKeage, was charged Wednesday with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and tampering with physical evidence.

The victim was seriously injured when he was stabbed in his side Tuesday night outside near a dumpster. The victim was treated at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where he received a blood transfusion, police said.

McKeage's bond was set at $100,000 cash. A judge noted the "severity and brutality of the attack." 

McKeage lives in the 600 block of Carson Road in Ferguson and had no attorney listed in the online court file Thursday.

Ferguson police Officer Candace Woodard wrote in court documents that the victim asked for food at closing time Tuesday night at the Imo's at 510 Airport Road. Woodard said employees told the man there was no food, and McKeage told him to get a job.

The victim, about 30 years old, is a homeless man who is well-known among the business community there. Court records show the victim has had numerous run-ins with police in North County suburbs over the years, mainly for municipal violations such as trespassing or shoplifting.

The victim went behind Imo's near the dumpster. McKeage armed himself with a kitchen knife and took trash to the dumpster, Woodard said.

When the victim asked for food and a drink, McKeage lunged at him and the victim slapped him, Woodard said. The victim ran and McKeage caught up with him and stabbed him, police said.

The victim ran away. A few blocks away, he encountered someone who called police.

McKeage returned to the kitchen, cleaned the knife and put it back in the knife block, police said.