VIDEO: Man attacks neighborhood with pitchfork, residents say
By Stewart Moore
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MERRITT ISLAND, Florida (WESH) — A Merritt Island neighborhood is reeling after a man with a hatcher and pitchfork damaged property and assaulted individuals early Wednesday morning.
Charles Reed Knight was arrested by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office shortly after and booked with trespassing, battery, criminal mischief charges along with armed burglary and assaulting law enforcement charges.
“I opened the door and there was a strange man in the corner of my porch with an ax hitting my security camera,” said Laura Boles, a homeowner, who described the incident.
The attack escalated as neighbors awaited help, with Knight reportedly causing further destruction and chaos in the area.
“He broke their water system. He was jumping up and down on their rocking chairs, and then he come over, and he would break the pillars on mine, and he was throwing things, and he was just very erratic,” Boles said. “He had a bloody rope. He still had the ax in his hand.”
Another resident, Loc Vo, recounted his experience, saying, “He was, you know, approaching me and slamming me on the head and a race. Was raising my arm real quick, together and always running away from him, and he started chasing me up and down, back and forth for three to four minutes until he ran out the breath.”
Knight is facing several charges, including felonies for criminal mischief, armed burglary of a dwelling, and resisting an officer with violence, and he is being held without bond on these charges. Neighbors are demanding that Knight face the maximum penalty.
“My autistic daughter, who’s 28 witnessed the whole thing. We were terrorized by this man for a good 15 minutes on camera. He needs to go away for a long time. Our Sheriff needs to put him away for 10 or 20 years,” a neighbor said.
Knight is due in court for his first appearance tomorrow. He has been arrested two prior times in Brevard County for DUI.
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