Law enforcement officials took to YouTube on Monday, sharing the July 15 surveillance footage in which the suspect is clearly seen removing a sword from a red sheath before proceeding to repeatedly swing the weapon toward the jogger. The incident unfolded in Broward County’s Oakland Park, in the jogger’s front yard.
Keyla Concepción, public information officer with the sheriff’s office, explained in a statement that on the evening of July 15, the unidentified jogger came upon a bulk trash pile that was already being picked over by his soon-to-be attacker during his run.
“The jogger stopped and decided to look around as well and found a black heavy-duty dump cart he decided to stake claim to,” reads the statement. “The other man became upset, feeling he had rights over the pile since he was looking through it first. The two exchanged words, but the jogger took the cart and ran behind it as he pushed the item home.”
However, that was not the end of their encounter. As the jogger arrived at his home, he soon realized that he’d been followed by his fellow trash inspector. It was then that things were kicked up a notch after the suspect approached the jogger with his sword on display.
After swinging the long sword at the jogger multiple times, the suspect eventually pulled away after he was informed by the blue-shirt-wearing runner that he was being filmed. Police say the man threatened to return to the scene, however, video shows that it was ultimately a woman that came to the yard to retrieve the cart while the jogger had turned his attention elsewhere.
Officials believe that the sword-wielding man and the woman knew each other. Individuals with knowledge of the matter are urged to contact police.