Florida Man Attacks Victims With Metal Rod and Samurai Sword in Bizarre Crime Spree, Police Say

A 22-year-old embarked on a violent crime spree Sunday morning, police say.

ByABC News
February 9, 2016, 2:26 PM

— -- A 22-year-old man clad in a bright red bucket hat went on a bizarre and violent crime spree in Lauderhill, Florida, on Sunday morning, injuring two, police said.

Jovaughn Walker stole a vehicle, attacked an elderly man with a metal rod at a gas station, then drove to a market and attacked a clerk with a replica samurai sword before he was taken into custody, police said.

"I've been in law enforcement for 32 years now and I've never encountered anything this bizarre." Maj. Rick Rocco of the Lauderhill Police Department told ABC News today. "Just randomly attacking people, especially in the manner, especially with a sword."

Walker has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery, carjacking, aggravated assault, and possession of cannabis, according to the Lauderhill Police Department.

“The defendant began making statements about seeing poltergeist and wanting to kill all that was evil,” a Probable Cause Affidavit released by the Lauderhill Police Department stated.

Police received a call about an incident at a Shell Gas Station a little after 10 a.m. on Sunday saying that an elderly man had been attacked.

"An 81-year-old male and his wife were inside the store area of the Shell and while they're in there the suspect comes walking into the store and without saying a word goes into the display rack and takes the support pole, then approaches the elderly male and just starts to attack him," Rocco said. "The victim's wife gets between the suspect and the victim, and he doesn't hurt the wife but then he leaves the gas station."

While police were trying to piece together this attack, they got a call about someone at the Swap Shop attacking people with a sword, Rocco said. The Swap Shop is a huge local flea-market type of mall with many vendors and booths. "Our unit rushes down there and we find out that it is the same person from the previous attack," Rocco said.

Walker picked up a 3-foot replica samurai sword that was on display and started attacking a vendor, Rocco said. Surveillance video and audio shows onlookers screaming as the 49-year-old victim tries to fight Walker off. "When police got there he was being held down and detained by other vendors," Rocco said.

The motive for this violent bender remains unknown, Rocco said.

"There is no connection between the suspect and either of the victims," Rocco said. "He was found with cannabis. We don't know if he was using some other kind of drug, or if he had a mental condition."

The two victims were hospitalized, suffering lacerations, but have since been released, police said.

It could have been much worse, Rocco said, adding "I thank God it was a replica sword. I thank God that the victims weren't seriously hurt."

It was immediately unclear if Walker had retrained an attorney.