MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A violent stabbing outside a popular South Beach cafe last month was caught on surveillance video obtained by Local 10 News on Tuesday.
Miami Beach police said the footage reveals a brutal attack that left a couple hospitalized and led to the arrest of a man who turned 37 on Dec.14.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Nov. 16 outside the Iconic News Cafe, located near Ocean Drive and Eighth Street.
The incident took an unusual twist when one of the victims admitted to police that he initiated the altercation.
John Albert Gladney Jr., a self-described homeless man from North Carolina, has been in custody since the September incident, according to investigators.
Police said both individuals who were stabbed — identified as a couple, Whitney, and a man named Mathis — are expected to recover from their injuries.
Miami Beach police said Gladney approached Whitney, who was sitting at one of the outdoor tables, and made a comment to her. They said Mathis intervened and punched Gladney in the face.
Police body camera footage captured witnesses recounting the events, including one woman who described the aftermath.
“I see the guy running past,” she said. Another witness added, “He kept straight and made a right.”
In retaliation, police said Gladney pulled out a knife and began slashing both victims, leaving them wounded on the street. Multiple surveillance camera angles captured the violent attack, showing Gladney wielding the knife as he assaulted the couple. He later told police he acted out of fear, according to investigators.
An arrest report states that bystanders quickly rushed to help, with one witness applying pressure to the man’s neck after seeing blood spurting from a deep wound.
Miami Beach police said officers responded promptly to the scene, where paramedics treated the victims before transporting the couple to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.
Authorities said both victims, in their 30s, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The woman sustained stab wounds to her right shoulder, under her right arm and near her left shoulder, while her partner was cut on the neck, back, and both sides of his chest, the report stated.
Investigators obtained additional surveillance footage, which showed Gladney running away from the scene with the knife still in his hand, heading toward a nearby block.
Detectives discovered that Gladney had dropped his cellphone and sunglasses at the scene. They said photos on the device helped an officer recall encountering him during a prior stop, which led to his arrest the following morning when he was spotted driving.
Gladney’s arrest report did not state the nature of the alleged comment toward the woman before the argument occurred.
Jail records show he is facing two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
As of Tuesday, Gladney is being held without bond at the Metrowest Detention Center.
His trial is set for next month.