MIAMI (WSVN) – A man has been arrested and charged in connection with a brutal attack in Downtown Miami that left two dead and two others injured. The Miami Police Department announced the arrest of 36-year-old Brenton Clarke less than 24 hours after the violent incident. Clarke faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and armed robbery with a deadly weapon.
The attack occurred early Thursday morning, just before 7 a.m., near North Miami Avenue and Sixth Street, where four homeless individuals were sleeping on the sidewalk. Clarke allegedly began his rampage by targeting one victim, beating him with a metal rod. He then proceeded to attack a second homeless man with a stick and crossed the street to assault a homeless couple.
According to the arrest report, Clarke showed no hesitation as he viciously attacked the victims, some while they were asleep. After assaulting the couple, Clarke returned to the first victim, using a piece of wood with nails to inflict further harm. Surveillance footage later revealed Clarke taking the man’s belongings after the attack.
An armed witness confronted Clarke, causing him to flee. Police quickly responded, apprehending Clarke after a brief foot chase. Miami Police Chief Manny Morales expressed his shock at the senseless violence, calling it a “horrible incident.”
The victims’ conditions were severe, with two of them dying from their injuries. One body was found near the Brightline Station, while the other was discovered nearby on North Miami Avenue. The homeless couple was taken to a hospital, one in critical condition and the other stable.
Ron Book, Chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, condemned the attack, calling it one of the most heinous crimes against vulnerable homeless individuals in the area. Clarke, who has no criminal history in Florida but a minor offense in New York, has not yet revealed a motive for the attack.
