Fla. man allegedly stabbed stranger to death with barbecue fork after failed attack on mom

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. (TCN) -- A 29-year-old man is behind bars for allegedly fatally stabbing a stranger at random with a barbecue fork after the man tried but failed to attack his own mother with the same instrument.

According to a probable cause affidavit, on Monday, Dec. 9, just before 6 p.m., Riviera Beach Police Department officers received a call that Roosevelt Johnson "attempted to attack his mother and had left the apartment with a knife." While the responding officer went to Johnson’s mother’s apartment, several other people called 911 to report a stabbing and that bystanders were rendering aid.

Additional police officers went to the scene and found a Hispanic male bleeding on the ground next to his bike. Paramedics arrived shortly thereafter and transported the man to a hospital, but he died from his injuries. The affidavit identified the victim as John Doe because he had not been positively identified. Riviera Beach Police said the victim was a male between 40 and 50 years old, 5-foot-5 with black hair and brown eyes.

One of the witnesses reportedly told police that they saw the suspect walk to the bus stop nearby. Officers reportedly located Johnson at the stop smoking a cigarette and detained him. When he stood up, police found a bloody barbecue fork on the bench and blood on Johnson’s hands.

Investigators interviewed several witnesses who were at the scene, including one person who allegedly said he saw Johnson stab the victim, then cross the street to the bus stop. Another person was in a car and allegedly saw a man matching Johnson’s description "stab the other male with an unknown object in the head and neck area." That witness allegedly heard Johnson yell, "DIE! DIE! DIE!" as he attacked the victim. Afterwards, he "calmly" walked away.

Johnson’s mother told detectives Johnson tried to stab her "prior to storming out of the apartment." The barbecue fork reportedly got stuck in her sweater, and Johnson "pulled back as if he missed." Then, he allegedly turned his attention to his cousin. Johnson reportedly chased the cousin, but she managed to hide in a bathroom. Johnson’s mother said she could not tell what implement he used in the attack, but she believed it was a barbecue fork because she previously removed all knives from her home.

According to the affidavit, Johnson told a detective he used "a fork" in the stabbing. He admitted he did not know the victim, adding, "I just hit him. I just started hitting him. He was just riding on his bike, drinking beer."

Palm Beach County Jail records show Johnson was booked on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

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