Miami Police have arrested 36-year-old Brenton Clarke in connection to a violent attack in Downtown Miami that resulted in two fatalities and two injuries. Clarke is facing serious charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and armed robbery with a deadly weapon.
The assault took place on Thursday morning, around 7 a.m., near North Miami Avenue and Sixth Street. Clarke used a plank of wood, embedded with nails, to attack four homeless individuals who were sleeping on the sidewalk. The first victim was killed at the scene, while three others were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital. One of the injured later died from their wounds.
The victims were found at different locations. One was near the Brightline Station, while another was discovered further down North Miami Avenue. Miami Police Chief Manny Morales explained that Clarke first attacked a homeless man at the intersection of First Avenue and Northwest Sixth Street, then continued eastward on Sixth Street. There, he encountered another victim, whom he also assaulted with the wooden plank. Clarke’s final victims were a homeless couple, whom he targeted across the street.
Surveillance footage shows Clarke taking the first victim’s belongings after delivering several strikes. Authorities revealed that one of the surviving victims is in critical condition, while the other is stable.
Clarke, who does not have a criminal history in Florida but has a minor offense record in New York City, declined to speak with detectives. As a result, the motive behind the violent attack remains unclear. Police are continuing their investigation into the incident, which shocked the community with its brutality and left two lives lost and others severely affected.
