A 29-year-old man in Florida is facing serious charges after allegedly killing a complete stranger in a horrifying attack using a pronged barbecue fork. Authorities say the man, Roosevelt Loray Johnson, fatally stabbed the victim multiple times in the head and neck outside an apartment complex in Riviera Beach. The victim, a man in his 40s or 50s, was reportedly just riding his bicycle when the unprovoked attack happened.
The incident took place around 6 p.m. on Monday at the Berkley Landing Apartments in Riviera Beach, about 75 miles north of Miami. Police were first alerted by a 911 call about an armed individual in the area. Shortly after, more calls came in from people trying to help a man who had been stabbed near the apartment complex.
When officers arrived, they found the victim lying on the ground next to his bike, bleeding heavily. Witnesses on the scene quickly pointed out Johnson, who was sitting calmly at a nearby bus stop smoking a cigarette. He had blood on his hands, and a bloody barbecue fork was found on the bench next to him.
Several witnesses shared the same story with police. They said Johnson approached the man, who was riding his bike, and suddenly started stabbing him while shouting, “DIE! DIE! DIE!” One witness described how Johnson stopped abruptly after the attack, stood up, and casually walked away to the bus stop.
Before the deadly encounter, Johnson had reportedly tried to attack his own family. His mother, Deborah McLeod, told police that he attempted to stab her with the same barbecue fork but missed when it got tangled in her sweater. She said Johnson then turned his attention to his cousin, Rhiannon Phillips, chasing her before she managed to lock herself in a bathroom for safety. After those failed attempts, McLeod said Johnson stormed out of the apartment with the barbecue fork in hand.
During questioning, Johnson admitted to stabbing the man but said he didn’t know him. According to the police report, he referred to the victim as “the little Guatemalan” and explained, “I just started hitting him. He was just riding on his bike, drinking his beer.”
Johnson is now being held at the Palm Beach County Jail without bond. He faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
