A man pulled a knife on a grocery store worker, police said. The victim ‘didn’t know why’
A Florida Keys homeless man was arrested Sunday after police said he held a knife to the throat of a grocery store employee on Big Pine Key.
William Joseph Shook, 47, whose address is listed as the streets of Key West, was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.
No serious injuries were reported at the Winn-Dixie store, 251 Key Deer Blvd.
The incident began at 11:50 a.m. when the 57-year-old employee said he was talking to another Winn-Dixie worker outside near the entrance when a man came up behind him with a knife and put it to his throat.
“The victim stated he didn’t know why the suspect did this,” said Adam Linhardt, the spokesman for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Security camera footage confirmed the victim’s statement, police said.
Before the attack, Shook had been sitting on the ground near the Winn-Dixie employees.
Police responded and a deputy spotted Shook walking toward the nearby CVS store, identifying him from previous incidents. Shook appeared intoxicated, police said.
But the deputy couldn’t find a knife on Shook and the weapon hadn’t been found as of Monday afternoon.
Shook was taken to the Stock Island Detention Center, where on Monday he was being held without bond.
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