Machete-Wielding Florida Landlord Defends Himself Against Tenant in Doorbell Dispute
A dispute over a doorbell camera ended with one man arrested and another recovering from the scary incident. According to the Brevard County Inmate Search, Timothy Blake Alexander was arrested on Oct. 3 after cops were called to his apartment.
The 44-year-old Florida man was charged with three crimes, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, possession of a firearm or ammunition with a final domestic violence injunction, and aggravated battery on a person older than 65.
Fox 35 Orlando reports that Alexander was charged after attacking a property representative by the name of Ruel Tummings Sr., who went to visit Alexander after he placed tape over a doorbell camera. Alexander was accused of getting agitated when the man arrived, and he began to attack the senior.
Tummings Sr. is said to have gone out to his car to grab a machete to defend himself, slashing at the 44-year-old before the Melbourne Police Department arrived to break things up.
The 44-Year-Old Man Faces 2 Felony Charges and 1 Misdemeanor
Officers reported that the situation first began when Tummings Sr. knocked on the door of Alexander’s home, which was a rental. Alexander allegedly attacked Tummings Sr. with multiple weapons at that time, which Melbourne Police say included a baseball bat that Alexander swung at the older man’s head.
Things escalated when the fight spilled outside, and Alexander went to his car to grab a lever-action rifle. Tummings Sr. then grabbed a machete, which he used to slash Alexander’s arm. Tummings Sr.’s son arrived on scene right around that time, which is when Alexander allegedly turned the gun on the younger Tummings.
The 44-Year-Old Has a Hearing Scheduled
As of the time of publication, law enforcement hadn’t released any additional information about the possible motives surrounding the dispute or how either of the men were doing physically after the scuffle. However, Brevard County Sheriff’s Department records did show that Alexander was already scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 3, where he will appear before Judge Kimberly Musselman.
People expressed their concern about the incident on Fox 35 Orlando’s Facebook post. “People are losing their minds these days,” one person wrote.
“OMG, what is going on here in Florida,” another asked.
While Alexander was taken into custody and has a hearing scheduled, it’s important to remember that he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
