Advertisement

Police: Man chased and held attacker after witnessing beating of homeless man

 
Published Dec. 13, 2012

TARPON SPRINGS — A convenience store patron who watched a homeless man beat another homeless man with an axe handle Wednesday chased the attacker and held him for Tarpon Springs police, authorities said.

Mark Tucker, 53, was inside the EZ Stop & Shop store at 23 S. Walton Ave. about 3:25 p.m. when he saw James Knott walk up behind Brian Kennedy, police said. Knott, 49, raised a 3-foot wooden axe handle and swung it at Kennedy's head, knocking him over. He hit Kennedy, 55, again before dropping the handle and running away, police said.

Tucker, of Tarpon Springs, chased Knott down and held him on the ground until police arrived, authorities said.

Kennedy's injuries are "possibly life threatening," police said in a news release. He was taken to Regional Hospital Bayonet Point.

Knott was arrested on a charge of attempted murder. He claimed the beating was self defense because Kennedy had threatened him with a box cutter earlier in the day.