RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Fla. – A nursing home employee died Thursday after he was stabbed in the neck while on the job at a facility in Richmond Heights, police say.
It happened about 3:10 p.m. at the Coral Reef Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, 9869 SW 152nd Street.
The man, who worked as a janitor at the nursing home, was confronted by a knife-wielding man in a hallway, investigators said.
According to authorities, there was a confrontation and the victim was stabbed repeatedly in the neck.
"He had blood all over his face," said Nadine Brice, who was visiting her grandmother at the time. "It was really bad."
A number of employees, visitors and some patients witnessed the gruesome attack.
"The subject did in fact have a large knife on him," said detective Roy Rutland of the Miami-Dade Police Department. "After he stabbed this man in the hallway and left him to die, he then went out a back door."
Arriving officers said they were able to catch up with the suspect, who was still carrying the bloodied knife.
Coral Reef Senior High School, which is directly next door, was temporarily placed on lock down.
Police said they later learned that the suspect has a brother living at the nursing home.
It's unclear what sparked the attack, but detectives said they were certain that the suspect was the aggressor.
Paramedics airlifted the victim to Kendall Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
"The nurses, everybody was crying like they were one of his family members or something," said Brice.
Homicide detectives spent much of the evening and nighttime hours interviewing witnesses and keeping visitors at bay.
"I can't let you in. I'm sorry, I'm under orders," one officer told a woman who arrived to visit a loved one.
Visitors and even employees arriving to work were turned away from the parking lot.
"I'm trying not to be upset but my mother can't help herself, so I can. That's why I go there everyday to see her," said visitor Lionel McCloud.
However, some visitors were able to make it into the nursing home before police set-up the barricade.
Kathy Myrtil had a calming message to share about the residents after she managed to get it in visit with her mother.
"I went into her room and talked to her," said Myrtil. "Those patients don't know anything that's going on."
Police have not released the names of the victim or the suspect. Charges are expected to be filed against the man police have in custody.