A Florida man is in custody after allegedly launching a brutal stabbing attack on his brother’s girlfriend that only came to an end when his own sibling shot him, authorities said.
According to Manatee County court records, 21-year-old Dakota Michael Hayes has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a knife. The shocking incident unfolded earlier this month at the Hayes family residence on 60th Drive East in Bradenton.
Investigators say tensions had been brewing in the household for some time before the violence erupted. On Aug. 11, Hayes allegedly threatened to kill his brother’s girlfriend “multiple times,” becoming enraged over something as small as her washing dishes.
“The defendant threatened [ed] to kill her in front of everyone in the residence to include his mother,” the criminal complaint states. The victim told police she believed Hayes’s mother had heard the threats, and he was temporarily taken to his grandmother’s house, as per reports, Bradenton Herald.
The young woman also told authorities that Hayes had been “obsessed with her for several years,” calling him a “complete psycho.” Although the first day passed without escalation, the following morning, Hayes allegedly stormed into the victim’s bedroom as she lay on her bed using her phone. Police say he punched her in the face before pulling out a knife and stabbing her repeatedly.
The victim’s boyfriend – Hayes’s brother – rushed in to intervene, but the assailant allegedly attempted to attack again. That’s when the brother retrieved a firearm and shot Hayes, striking him twice. Both the victim and Hayes were transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital as trauma patients.
The woman suffered at least 11 stab wounds to her head, neck, and abdomen, requiring part of her intestine to be surgically removed. Hayes sustained gunshot injuries to his arm, hip, and buttocks. Court filings reveal witnesses described Hayes as having “episodes” in recent weeks, though they claimed he had never before turned violent.
Police allege, however, that this long-simmering behavior finally erupted into a near-fatal assault. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the victim’s recovery and relocation, as she “mentally cannot go back to live in the house she was attacked in.” Hayes is currently being held without bond at the Manatee County Jail. A competency hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 25, with arraignment set for Oct. 3.