Man arrested for stabbing 4 Morriston neighbors

A Morriston man is behind bars after stabbing a total of four people in two homes Thursday.

According to a press release from the Levy County Sheriff's Office (LCSO), Justin R. Bryant, 35, is in the Levy County Detention Center and faces three counts of attempted murder, one count of battery and aggravated bodily harm and burglary of a dwelling.

“Additional charges are expected to be filed,” the LCSO statement said.

LCSO deputies responded to the scene near SE 132 Court after multiple 911 callers reported a stabbing around 4 p.m. Thursday.

The preliminary investigation revealed that Bryant was known to all four victims and had “hung out” with two of them earlier in the day.

“The victim(s) told officers that the suspect had previously been to their home and borrowed their phone to make a call and that they were able to provide his name,” the press release states. “Other than that, they didn’t know him.”

The victims escaped and fled to a nearby home, while Bryant fled the initial scene, according to LCSO.

Deputies then received another report from a nearby home and found two more individuals “suffering from blunt force injuries from weapons of opportunity.”

LCSO deputies and Williston Police Department officers located Bryant in a wooded area near one of the victim's homes and took him into custody.

“The motive for these apparently random and violent attacks remains under investigation,” LCSO reported. “All four victims were taken to nearby trauma units and are being treated. Their current conditions are reported as stable.

According to LCSO, investigators learned that Bryant had stolen a vehicle from a “known associate” earlier in the day. He drove that vehicle to another house, where he stole a truck. He tried unsuccessfully to steal a third vehicle from another house.

“This was a large crime scene with eight separate locations that required extensive coordination between law enforcement agencies,” the LCSO statement said, citing the involvement of the Levy County Department of Public Safety , Williston Police Department and ShandsCair. “This cooperative effort resulted in the rapid treatment of the victim(s) and the rapid apprehension of the suspect.”