PALM BAY, Fla. – Palm Bay police announced Monday afternoon that a man accused of stabbing his roommate Sunday night is now in custody.
The attack prompted a large law enforcement presence in the area of Malabar Road and Eldron Boulevard. The attack was originally reported as a shooting, though investigators said it was later determined that the victim had been cut.
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The department posted on social media asking people to be on the lookout for a 40-year-old man. However, an update to the post at 11 p.m. said, “There is no longer a threat to the public.” They later clarified that the man was still on the loose, but they believed the attack was an isolated incident.
In an update on Monday at 3:15 p.m., police declared that the suspect, Jared Dryer, 40, was now in custody.
Investigators have not said anything about exactly what happened, but a man who lives on Decordre Road said the victim was a neighbor who knocked on his door looking for help.
Another man told News 6 about police asking neighbors to stay indoors.
“We couldn’t get out of the house,” Erhan Cengiz said. “It’s your next-door neighbors, so of course it’s scary.”
The victim is in stable condition, according to the department. Police have not said what led to the attack.
Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call Palm Bay police at 321-952-3456 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.
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