WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A Florida man is facing multiple charges, including two counts of Attempted First-Degree Murder, following a violent event that resulted in two men suffering stab wounds.
According to police, on Wednesday at approximately 2:10 a.m., Winter Haven Police responded to a 911 call at 1301 Evergreen Place, Abbey Lane Apartments, in Winter Haven.
Two stabbing victims were located, and they were both rushed to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with serious injuries, where they both remain.
“William Lee Smith, 25, shares an apartment with a family member, and they were in the apartment when Smith got into a confrontation and attempted to strangle the victim,” said police.
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He stopped when two males and a female came to the apartment and knocked on the door. Smith went to the bedroom while the other three entered the apartment and sat down to talk with the family member.
“Smith attempted to get the female visitor to come to the bedroom to talk to him, but she said he needed to wait. He continued to ask her to come to the bedroom and became more and more upset when she told him to wait,” said Winter Haven Police.
Police say that Smith came out of the bedroom with plastic wrapped around various parts of his body and started attacking both males and a dog with a large knife with a rigid blade.
As the attack continued, the victims were able to run out of the apartment through a back door, and Smith ran out of the front door of the apartment. When officers arrived, they located Smith still wrapped in plastic and found the knife hidden in a bush just northwest of where he was located.
“The two male victims were taken to Lakeland Regional Health in serious but stable condition, where they remain. We are sad to report that the dog, a two-year-old Pitbull named “Bruiser” will not survive,” said police.
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Initially, Smith refused to identify himself to officers and was ultimately arrested and transported to the Winter Haven Police Department.
Smith was transported to the Polk County Jail and charges with Attempted Felony Murder w/Weapon (2) Counts FL Tampering with Evidence (1) Count F3 Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon (2) Counts F3 Animal Cruelty-Torment (1) Counts: M1 Domestic Viol-Battery (1) Count: M1 Resist Officer without Violence (1) Count M1.
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