MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami Police have arrested and charged a man in connection to the brutal Downtown Miami attack that killed two people and injured two others.
Less than 24 hours after the brazen string of violence, detectives announced that they arrested 36-year-old Brenton Clarke and charged him with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and armed robbery with a deadly weapon.
Clarke used a metal rod and a plank of wood filled with nails to viscously tear into four homeless people who were sleeping on a sidewalk near North Miami Avenue and Sixth Street just before 7 a.m. on Thursday.
The arrest report paints the picture of a gruesome rampage against four defenseless people.
According to the report, Clarke first stared down one of the victims while he was asleep. Then, he came back and used a metal rod to beat him up.
“The offender attacked a homeless male, First Avenue and Northwest Sixth Street, then going eastbound on Sixth Street, approaching North Miami Avenue, encounters another homeless male, which he attacked with a stick as well. Turning his attention across the street, he then attacked a homeless couple that were there,” said Miami Police Chief Manny Morales.
He then proceeded to do the same thing to a second victim.
The report continues to say that Clarke crossed the street and inflicted the same violence on a sleeping homeless couple.
“This is a horrible incident. The officers on scene and the Miami Police Department are appalled at this display of unprovoked violence,” said Morales.
But the attack didn’t stop there, he went back to the first victim and used a piece of wood filled with nails to beat him again.
On surveillance video, Clarke was seen taking man’s belongings after delivering several blows.
An armed witness confronted Clarke, who ran off, officers were then able to quickly track him down and take him into custody.
“After a short foot pursuit, the offender was taken into custody,” said Morales.
Ron Book, the Chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust said he’s grateful for the swiftness of the police department but devastated for the loss of life.
“I can’t think of anything more heinous than taking advantage of individuals who are so very vulnerable on the street,” said Book. “In the 30 years of the trust existence, we’ve seen some pretty horrific crimes against homeless individuals. This one ranks up there right at the very top, where a singular individual brings this much hard to four individuals, four defenseless individuals, it doesn’t get any worse.”
The first and second victim ultimately died from their injuries.
One of the victims’ bodies was located near the Brightline Station, while another was found down the block on North Miami Avenue.
As for the homeless couple, they were rushed to a nearby hospital, where one is listed in critical condition, and the other is stable.
Police said Clarke doesn’t have a criminal history in Florida but has a minor offense in New York City.
According to the arrest report, Clarke declined to speak with detectives, so the motive behind the attack remains unclear.
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