Woman Defends Herself in Lauderhill: Suspected Purse Snatcher Stabbed, Hospitalized in Stable Condition

Woman Defends Herself in Lauderhill Suspected Purse Snatcher Stabbed, Hospitalized in Stable Condition
Image Via: NBC 6 South Florida

According to authorities, a woman in Lauderhill used a knife to thwart an attempted thief, which precipitated a heated altercation. After getting stabbed during the incident, the man who was thought to be attempting to take the woman’s handbag was taken to the hospital.

The woman, identified as Robinette Varnidae, claimed that she first became aware of a strange man following her home on Thursday at around 7:30 a.m.

“He see me coming from the ATM, so he tried to follow me home and enter into my apartment,” she stated.

JR Slim, her nephew, claimed he witnessed them fighting as they were walking down the street.

“Some random guy attacked my auntie. I kind of like just followed them down the street, and they were having an argument,” he stated, “and basically I had to break them up.”

According to Varnidae, the suspect broke into her Lauderhill apartment, which is situated in the 4300 block of Northwest 21st Street, and attempted to take her money, phone, and pocketbook.

“Tried to rob her purse,” Slim stated.

“I think he smashed the door open, he smashed the door like twice trying to get in,” Varnidae stated.

According to Varnidae, she grabbed the first object she saw.

“I had the knife, it was on the table, because we were on the inside,” she stated.

Still, the man came back for her, according to Varnidae. The fight spilled outside into the courtyard after she had struggled with the man inside her flat. Several onlookers attempted to step in, including Varnidae’s nephew, but they did not want to get caught in the midst.

“They broke it up again, and that’s when I went to swing and cutting him with the knife, and he left,” Varnidae stated.

A segment of the standoff was captured on cellphone footage. The man, whose arm was now covered in blood, was seen lunging for Varnidae. The man retreated as Varnidae lifted the knife in her hand. Varnidae left as well.

When Lauderhill Police arrived at the location following reports of the altercation, they said that Varnidae had informed them of the event and that she had used the knife in self-defense.

The suspect had already left the scene when police arrived, but they were able to track him down more than an hour later when he knocked on a neighbor’s door in the 4500 block of Northwest 26th Street while covered in blood, prompting the resident to phone 911.

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Once the culprit was discovered, police took him into custody and took him to Broward Health Medical Center so that his injuries could be attended to. Right now, his condition is reported as stable.

“He didn’t get anything. I can’t believe there’s people out there that would try to hurt old people, older folks like that,” Slim stated. “They have, like, no heart.”

Ferroid Elijah Thomas, 29, was named as the suspect by the police on Thursday night. He is accused of battery-assisted burglary.

Source: wsvn.com

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With more than two years of expertise in news and analysis, Eileen Stewart is a seasoned reporter. Eileen is a respected voice in this field, well-known for her sharp reporting and insightful analysis. Her writing covers a wide range of subjects, from politics to culture and more.