Multiple people stabbed at Tallahassee business, suspect arrested

Five people were stabbed early Wednesday at a Tallahassee business by an employee armed with a folding knife, police said.

The suspect, Antwann D. Brown, 41, was taken into custody at around 10:30 a.m. outside of Dyke Industries, where he works, Tallahassee Police Chief Steven D. Outlaw said at a news conference.

Five people were taken to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, a hospital spokesperson told NBC News, correcting information from the hospital earlier that it received six patients.

One person is in serious condition, according to the spokesperson. The other four patients are in either fair or good condition.

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The stabbing occurred just after 8:30 a.m. When emergency responders arrived at Dyke Industries, they found “multiple stabbing victims and provided immediate medical attention,” police said.

Just prior to the stabbing, at about 8:20 a.m., there was a verbal dispute and Brown was asked to clock out, which he did at around 8:20, the police chief said.

The police chief said authorities do not know the motive for the crime. “As far as we know it was spontaneous,” he said.

He praised employees for trying to hold Brown down on the ground until police arrived.

“Some of the employees, as he was leaving, armed themselves with whatever they could … and actually held him at bay. That delayed his escape, which was very good for us,” Chief Outlaw said at the news conference. “But he got up and started to leave again, and at some point, the officer engaged and took him into custody.”