Man armed with stick attacks homeless people in Miami, killing 2

A man armed with a stick attacked several homeless people in an “unprovoked” attack in Miami, leaving two dead, officials reported. The suspect has been detained.

Officers responded shortly after 6 a.m. on Thursday to reports of a man assaulting people with a stick near North Miami Avenue and Sixth Street, according to Miami Police Chief Manny Morales. The suspect attempted to flee as officers arrived but was quickly apprehended.

The suspect attacked four homeless individuals with a “stick item,” first targeting two men before attacking a couple, Morales stated. The victims were discovered at two separate locations near the Brightline Central Station.

Two of the victims died from the attack, while the other two remain hospitalized, according to WPLG.

The suspect has been identified, though his name has not been released. He is described as a 30-year-old Black man with no prior local criminal record and minor “runnings” with police in New York, according to Chief Morales.

“This is a horrible incident,” Morales said. “The officers on the scene and the Miami Police Department are appalled at this display of unprovoked violence.”