Neighbors say the suspect struck yards, a porch camera and people before deputies made an arrest.
MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — A Merritt Island neighborhood is demanding accountability after a man armed with a hatchet and a pitchfork damaged property, confronted residents and tried to force his way into a home just before sunrise Wednesday. Deputies arrested 42-year-old Charles Reed Knight shortly after the spree and booked him on multiple counts, including armed burglary, criminal mischief and resisting an officer with violence.
Neighbors told reporters the chaos began just before 6 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, as people were waking up and checking security cameras. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said Knight was taken into custody and held without bond on several felony counts while investigators documented damaged yards and broken fixtures along the block. The episode has quickly become a flashpoint for public safety on the Space Coast, with residents saying they want the maximum penalty and faster response to violent disturbances. Knight’s initial court appearance was scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 29, as detectives gathered statements and video.
The timeline, as described by homeowners, started when a porch camera caught a man on the stoop with an ax. Laura Boles said she opened her front door and saw a stranger striking her security camera. The device fell, but the confrontation continued in the street as she called for help. Across the way, neighbors said landscaping was ripped up and a water system smashed. Rocking chairs were overturned. A resident identified by neighbors as Loc Vo said the man chased him back and forth for three to four minutes. “He was approaching me and slamming me on the head,” Vo said, adding that the pursuit ended only when the attacker appeared winded. Another neighbor said seniors across the street watched as the yards they tend were trampled and broken. Several residents described 10 to 15 minutes of turmoil before deputies arrived.
Booking information showed Knight facing a list of charges that included armed burglary of a dwelling, criminal mischief, battery, trespassing and resisting an officer with violence. Neighbors said he also tried to enter a home and swung the hatchet at a mounted camera. Boles said the man carried a second tool and moved erratically, shouting and throwing objects. Residents shared clips from multiple cameras that appeared to show the same person crisscrossing the street. Some who live on the block said they were shaken that the attack happened while children and shift workers were stirring. Others said they were grateful that no one suffered life-threatening injuries. What prompted the outburst remained unclear as of Thursday morning, and deputies did not immediately release a possible motive.
People on the street said the address has seen nuisance calls before, but none as jarring as this week’s predawn rampage. Several noted that the island’s neighborhoods are typically quiet aside from traffic to nearby schools and the causeway. The Space Coast has dealt with scattered property crimes and porch thefts, residents said, but a man showing up with a hatchet and pitchfork crossed a line. Homeowners pointed out cracked pillars, gouged sod and broken irrigation parts Wednesday afternoon. One neighbor said the camera that caught the first blows had to be remounted and the porch swept of splinters. Others stood near toppled chairs, recounting where they ran and where the chase turned.
After the arrest, deputies prepared arrest affidavits and evidence logs, while prosecutors reviewed potential counts and bond conditions. Court records showed Knight held without bond on several felony charges pending first appearance, when a judge typically advises defendants of the allegations and sets release terms. Neighbors said they planned to attend that hearing to press their concerns. The sheriff’s office said additional charges could be considered once all damage estimates are compiled. Investigators were collecting camera footage from multiple homes and expected to file a supplemental report by the end of the week. Any decision on competency evaluations or enhanced penalties would follow routine court review, officials said.
Emotions in the subdivision ran high. “We were terrorized by this man for a good 15 minutes,” one neighbor said, explaining that her adult daughter watched from a window as the man smashed and stomped. “He needs to go away for a long time,” she said. Another resident described huddling inside while calling 911, whispering details to the dispatcher. A man across the street said he grabbed a flashlight and banged on a door to warn a neighbor not to come outside. Midday, residents traded phone numbers and checked in on older couples whose yards were torn up. By dusk, someone had set a broken rocking chair upright on a porch, a small repair in a street still tallying dents and cracks.
As of Thursday afternoon, Knight remained jailed and the sheriff’s office said the investigation was active. Prosecutors were expected to outline formal charges at the first appearance Thursday in Viera. Residents said they would keep their cameras rolling and wait for the judge’s decision on bond and next steps in the case.
Author note: Last updated January 29, 2026.