PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office has identified the suspect in Saturday's stabbing as Spencer Pearson. The 18-year-old is currently in the hospital receiving treatment for his self-inflicted injuries.
The SJCSO said if Pearson survives his injuries, he will face multiple felony charges, including attempted murder.
Witnesses said a teenage boy, who has since been identified as Pearson, stabbed a mother and daughter at Mr. Chubby's Wings in Ponte Vedra around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The stabbing was a targeted attack by Pearson who was known to the primary victim, SJCSO said. Two others were hurt when they attempted to intervene and help the victim.
Everyone involved was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries from the stabbing, officials said. The victims have not been identified by police, at this time.
The Sheriff's Office is actively investigating the stabbing.
'She did what any mother would': Witnesses recount stabbing
“She’s like my soulmate as a sister, per se, as a friend," said Casey Estep, who is friends with the victims.
It’d been a while since Casey Estep and her daughter Cloey Criggall had seen their softball friends on the First Coast.
So, they figured they’d take a two hour drive over for a beach day and to grab a quick bite afterward.
They’d had a fun day until Estep noticed somebody who caught her attention.
“I saw a boy get up that had the same school logo on, I was like, ‘Oh, he must go to the same school,'" said Estep. "They were like, ‘Oh, we’ve got to go.’”
They asked for the check and tried to quietly leave, but before Estep could finish cashing out, she says the boy took off running toward the other three in the parking lot.
“She did what any mother would and put herself in harm’s way," said Estep.
Estep says two men tried to break it up and got the knife away.
Estep and Criggall weren’t hurt, but they’re left hoping their best friends will be ok.
“We tried doing the best thing, which was leaving, and it didn’t end the way we wanted it to," said Criggall.