ANIMALISTIC: NY MAN GOES ON KILLING SPREE IN FLORIDA, EXECUTING HOMELESS PEOPLE IN THEIR SLEEP
“In the 30-plus years that I’ve been chairman of the Trust, I’ve never seen anywhere in America a more heinous, more vicious attack on homeless people than what this gentleman has done.”
A shocking spree of violence in downtown Miami has left two homeless individuals dead and two others seriously injured after a brutal attack by a man wielding a metal rod. Authorities arrested 36-year-old Brenton Clarke of Inwood, New York, early Thursday morning, and now officials are pushing for the crimes to be investigated as hate crimes.
According to Miami Police, the first attack occurred around 5:06 a.m. near North Miami Avenue and Northwest Sixth Street. Clarke was seen approaching a man sleeping on the sidewalk before walking away, only to return moments later armed with a metal rod. What followed was a string of merciless beatings targeting Miami’s most vulnerable.
Clarke then turned his attention to a couple sleeping across the street, launching another vicious assault. Afterward, he returned to his first victim, striking again before stealing his belongings and fleeing westward. But the bloodshed didn’t stop there—Clarke soon found a fourth individual and beat him to death, police said.
Not satisfied, he returned yet again to attack his previous victims, ensuring maximum devastation. By the time officers arrived at the scene, two individuals were dead, and the couple had suffered severe injuries requiring emergency treatment at Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
A witness armed with a weapon confronted Clarke after the rampage, forcing him to flee. Police apprehended him at approximately 6:10 a.m. near Northwest Second Avenue and Northwest Fifth Street. Surveillance footage helped confirm his identity, and officers noted his blood-stained clothing matched the attacker’s description. Clarke was taken into custody without further incident.
“The officers on scene and the Miami Police Department are appalled at this display of unprovoked violence,” said Miami Police Chief Manny Morales. “We will ensure that our investigators hold this individual accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, condemned the attacks as “senseless murders” and urged authorities to pursue hate crime charges.
“In the 30-plus years that I’ve been chairman of the Trust, I’ve never seen anywhere in America a more heinous, more vicious attack on homeless people than what this gentleman has done,” Book told the Miami Herald.
Hate crimes are legally defined as offenses committed due to bias or prejudice against a specific group. While not a separate charge, a hate crime designation can lead to enhanced sentencing.
Clarke has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and armed robbery with a deadly weapon. He remains jailed at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, with his bond yet to be set.
Authorities are still trying to determine Clarke’s motive, as he has refused to speak to investigators. While he has no prior criminal history in Miami, reports indicate he had minor encounters with law enforcement in New York. A 2013 crime report noted a Brenton Clarke of Inwood was arrested for robbery in an unrelated incident.
As the investigation continues, local officials stress the need for greater protections for Miami’s homeless population. “We remain committed and determined to get every person off the streets and into safe housing,” said Book.