WINDERMERE, Fla. – Two men were beaten to death and a woman was seriously injured late Thursday during an attack at a home in a gated Windermere community while a 10-year-old boy called authorities while hiding in a bathroom, police said.
The double homicide happened at a home in the 2900 block of Sunbittern Court in the Lake Crescent Reserve community, which is just south of Lake Crescent and north of Park Avenue and Lake Butler Boulevard.
Windermere police said Ezekiel Emanuel Hopkins pushed the community’s gate open with his car then tried to steal a car from the home when he was confronted by the homeowners, John and Lisa Savey.
“We do know that in a video that we saw right here from the front entrance here that he came down the road on a high rate of speed turned into this entrance and pushed the gate open turned his lights off,” Chief David Ogden told News 6.
The mugshot above of Ezekiel Emanuel Hopkins is from 2012.
Police said Hopkins attacked Savey and beat him to death with a baseball bat outside the home. Hopkins then went inside the home, where he beat Lisa Savey and her son, James Savey, who was killed, according to police.
Lisa Savey was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, police said.
“Words can’t really describe what we wanna say to this family our hearts and our prayers certainly go out to them,” Ogden added.
According to police, the boy, who lives at the home with his grandparents, called 911 to report a home burglary. The Winter Garden police dispatcher kept the boy on the phone while the child hid in a bathroom.
#breaking: HOME INVASION LEAVES 2 DEAD, 10-year-old calls 911 after a suspect tried to break in their car on the driveway. Suspect killed child’s grandfather and uncle @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/Ie4onYGTrT
— Justin Campbell (@JCampbellNews6) July 31, 2020
Officers from the Windermere Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, Oakland Police Department and deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office went to the home, where Hopkins was found in another bathroom, officials said. Hopkins was arrested but taken to Health Central because it appears he drank some bleach and was not responsive, police said.
According to officials, Ocoee Police noticed Hopkins’ car early in the night and thought it was suspicious but later disregarded.
Officers told News 6 that the boy was not physically injured and is doing well.
“Just amazing this brave young man and the dispatcher did a phenomenal job,” Ogden said.
Hopkins faces two counts of murder and a charge of aggravated battery.
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