Miami police identifies man accused of killing 2, injuring 2

Police officers identified a man Friday who they said is accused of attacking a group of homeless people, killing two and injuring two others in Miami.

Leer en español

Officers responded to the area of North Miami Avenue and Northwest Sixth Street after receiving reports of a man armed with a stick attacking people at around 6 a.m. on Thursday.

Upon arrival, Miami police said they found two victims were found deceased — one near North Miami Avenue and Northwest Sixth Street and another near Northwest First Avenue and Northwest Sixth Street.

Investigators confirmed that two other victims sustained injuries and were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.

Surveillance footage obtained during the investigation revealed a timeline of events that unfolded early Thursday morning.

Police said the suspect, Brenton Clarke, 36, was seen on video repeatedly attacking homeless individuals with a metal rod and later with a wooden stick.

Investigators said that Clarke was caught on camera assaulting two victims who were sleeping on the sidewalk before stealing belongings from one of them. Minutes later, they confirmed that he also attacked another individual who was sleeping on Northwest First Avenue.

Shortly before 6 a.m., police said a witness armed with a weapon confronted Clarke after he attacked additional victims and then fled the scene.

Miami Police Chief Manny Morales said Clarke ran until police officers found him.

“The defendant was taken into custody,” Morales said.

Clarke, who declined to speak with detectives after being read his rights, was arrested and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center shortly before 4:10 a.m. on Friday, according to police.

“Our deep appreciation goes to Miami Police Department for their swift apprehension of a suspect in this senseless set of murders and attacks on our community’s most vulnerable and for what we know will be an aggressive prosecution,” said Ron Book, the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust chairman,

Clark is facing two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of armed robbery with a deadly weapon.

Police have not disclosed any information on the victims involved in the alleged attacks.

Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.