NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - A North Miami man was arrested Thursday after police said he stabbed a resident at an independent living facility multiple times, leaving the victim critically injured and requiring emergency surgery.
James Mackenzie, 53, faces an attempted murder charge in connection with the June 11 stabbing at a residence in the 500 block of Northeast 132nd Terrace, according to North Miami police.
Officers responded to the home shortly before 11 a.m. and found Mackenzie in the backyard near an efficiency unit with blood on his hands, an arrest report states.
During a safety sweep of the residence, officers located the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest.
The victim, who was seated in a walker used as a wheelchair, was having difficulty breathing and speaking when first responders arrived.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported the victim to Aventura Medical Center, where medical personnel determined he had been stabbed about seven times.
Investigators said at least one wound pierced the victim’s heart, and he underwent lifesaving surgery.
Police said large amounts of blood were found in the bedroom where the victim was discovered.
Detectives also recovered a folding pocket knife with what appeared to be blood on it from Mackenzie’s efficiency unit.
According to the arrest report, other residents reported hearing a verbal altercation but did not witness the stabbing.
Investigators said a surveillance camera inside the residence captured audio of the victim saying, “I’m bleeding everywhere, please, I need to go to the hospital.”
Mackenzie was taken into custody at the scene and later transported to the North Miami Police Department for processing before being booked into jail.
During a bond court hearing Friday, a judge found probable cause and ordered that Mackenzie be held without bond.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.