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Dyke Industries Stabbing Suspect Antwann Brown Has First Hearing, Is Being Held Without Bond

This photo provided by the Leon County Detention Facility and posted on the Tallahassee, Fla., Police Department Facebook page shows Antwann Brown. Police in Tallahassee were still trying to determine what set off suspect Brown and prompted him on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, to pull out a pocketknife and stab co-workers before fleeing a workplace on foot.
Leon County Detention Facility
This photo provided by the Leon County Detention Facility and posted on the Tallahassee, Fla., Police Department Facebook page shows Antwann Brown. Police in Tallahassee were still trying to determine what set off suspect Brown and prompted him on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, to pull out a pocketknife and stab co-workers before fleeing a workplace on foot.
This photo provided by the Leon County Detention Facility and posted on the Tallahassee, Fla., Police Department Facebook page shows Antwann Brown. Police in Tallahassee were still trying to determine what set off suspect Brown and prompted him on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, to pull out a pocketknife and stab co-workers before fleeing a workplace on foot.
Credit Leon County Detention Facility
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Leon County Detention Facility
This photo provided by the Leon County Detention Facility and posted on the Tallahassee, Fla., Police Department Facebook page shows Antwann Brown. Police in Tallahassee were still trying to determine what set off suspect Brown and prompted him on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, to pull out a pocketknife and stab co-workers before fleeing a workplace on foot.

Antwann Brown, the suspect who police say stabbed five people at Dyke Industries Wednesday morning, is being held with no bond. He faces five counts of attempted murder and one for aggravated assault.

 

Antwann Brown appeared in court Thursday for his first hearing. He told authorities that right before the incident he overheard his supervisor talking about firing him. He confronted his supervisor but an argument ensued, and he was told to clock out and leave for the day. Minutes later he returned with what police describe as a serrated folding pocket knife.During a press conference, Tallahassee Interim Police Chief Steve Outlaw said officers believe Brown targeted his victims. 

 

“It appears he did not go in a straight path to leave the workplace. That he may have sought out either certain offices or certain people,” said Outlaw.

 

Brown told law enforcement he focused on people who had wrong him or other employees, adding that he could see demons inside of them. He says he has been diagnosed with an undisclosed mental illnesses but hasn’t been taking his medication. Derrick Tucker, an employee at the facility, was there at the time of the attack. 

 

“One of the ladies in the front office she say when she looked in his eyes he was trying to stab her, but when she looked in his eyes she seen that his eyes looked black. And he told her that I’m going to spare you, and he was like today your lucky day I’m going to spare you and he left.”

 

This isn’t Brown’s first run-in with the law, he has been arrested mostly for drug offenses. His next court date has not yet been scheduled. He has requested an attorney.

Copyright 2019 WFSU

Blaise Gainey is a Multimedia Reporter for WFSU News. Blaise hails from Windermere, Florida. He graduated from The School of Journalism at the Florida A&M University. He formerly worked for The Florida Channel, WTXL-TV, and before graduating interned with WFSU News. He is excited to return to the newsroom. In his spare time he enjoys watching sports, Netflix, outdoor activities and anything involving his daughter.