INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Bond has been set for the suspect in the double stabbing that occurred early morning Thursday, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Brandon Arnold, 19, is being held in lieu of $760,000 bail, according to the booking report. His next court appearance is set for March 2, 8:30 a.m.
Jan. 23 7:15 p.m.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The person accused of stabbing two people overnight Wednesday has since been booked into the Indian River County Jail on an attempted murder charge. He was being held in the St. Lucie County Jail while authorities worked to secure his Indian River County arrest warrant.
Brandon Arnold, 19, faces charges of felony attempted murder, felony aggravated battery with great bodily harm, and a felony charge of tampering with or destroying evidence, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office booking report.
Arnold is currently being held without bond.
Jan. 22, 7:52 a.m.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office has released more information regarding an overnight double stabbing that left two people injured and a third in custody.
Authorities describe the incident as being domestic violence. It occurred in the 700 block of 4th Place Southwest Wednesday around 10 p.m. The suspect, identified as Brandon Arnold, 19, was taken into custody around 1 a.m. Thursday following a police pursuit that led to St. Lucie County.
Arnold is being held at the St. Lucie County Jail while authorities work to secure charges against him.
The victims received various cuts from a knife Arnold was wielding, according to authorities. One person sustained a 4-inch laceration above the right eye. The other person was sliced behind the left ear that continued around the neck toward the right ear. Authorities said the slice narrowly missed the artery.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Arnold violated a domestic violence injunction when he entered the home. He then attacked the two men in the home and forcibly removed a woman and her young child from the house and fled the area.
The woman, who was not identified, had a domestic violence injunction against Arnold and was staying with the two friends following a Christmas Eve 2014 domestic incident.
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office worked with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office to locate the woman and child. They were found unharmed in a mobile home community, authorities said.
A subsequent search warrant conducted at the home found Arnold’s bloody clothes, a bloody towel and drugs, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
A family member of Arnold, working with deputies, convinced Arnold to turn himself into the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
Indian River County authorities are preparing an arrest warrant for attempted murder. Whether other charges will be filed remains to be seen.
“In 2014, our community experienced too many deadly domestic violence incidents and we are fortunate today to report that all four victims in this case are alive,” Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar said in a prepared statement. “We are thankful for the help of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and for our partner SafeSpace, the only domestic violence shelter on the Treasure Coast.”
The Sheriff’s Office hired Victoria Sharp in March 2014 as the department’s first domestic violence victims’ advocate. Since May, she has worked on more than 420 reports of domestic violence, averaging 54 contacts with domestic violence victims a month, Loar said. She has assisted 15 people in the community in obtaining restraining orders, and continues to work with victims of domestic violence every day.
“Nationally last year, domestic violence took center stage with several high profile NFL players being suspended in domestic violence incidents,” Loar said. “We want that dialogue to continue. Domestic violence is all too real and deadly. Domestic violence happens every day in our community and is completely preventable. This case today highlights the need for us to continue to support domestic violence outreach efforts and our partner, SafeSpace.”