Naked man runs from police on West Broward Boulevard

Matthew Kenny says he had been smoking 'flakka'

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Fort Lauderdale police were called to West Broward Boulevard on Saturday after someone reported that a man was walking naked on the busy roadway and behaving erratically.

When police arrived, they confronted Mathew Kenny, who was only wearing socks and shoes. Officers attempted to stop the 34-year-old, who quickly took off, prompting a foot chase.

"This guy -- butt naked -- is just running down Broward, and he kind of does a loop, like, right in the middle of the intersection," witness Jesse Grace told Local 10 News.

Kenny was soon detained in the 700 block of West Broward Boulevard and told officers he had been smoking the synthetic drug "flakka."

"He was shouting, but I couldn't hear what he was saying," Grace said of the naked man.

According to the police report, Kenny explained that people were chasing him and trying to kill him. He also said unknown people stole his clothing and he was attempting to get away from them.

Kenny was taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where he was involuntarily committed under the Baker Act.

This is at least the third incident in recent weeks involving people under the influence of flakka, which officials claim has become increasingly more popular and dangerous. 

The synthetic designer drug is also being blamed for the bizarre behavior of a man caught on camera kicking in a glass door at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and another suspect who attempted to run from police and impaled himself while attempting to scale a security fence outside the Fort Lauderdale Police Department last month.

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About the Author:

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.