VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA: A Florida man reportedly stabbed one of his brother's friends to death after he lost his cool because of he wasn't allowed to smoke marujuana with them.
Some people, who were friends with McDonald's brother, had arrived at their home to smoke weed. But when McDonald tried to smoke marijuana with them, they refused and didn't allow him to do so, thus angering him.
McDonald, on a fit of rage, fatally stabbed one of his brother's friends.
Joseph McDonald, 31, apparently then fled the scene and hid in the bushes to evade police, authorities said.
McDonald was at his home on Sunday, October 8, when his alleged victim and another individual, who witnessed the crime, arrived at his place to smoke weed.
McDonald allegedly let them into the house, but they did not make any sort of interaction with him.
Joseph McDonald was upset because he was skipped over in the smoke session
According to the reports of local Fox35 Orlando, the victim whose identity has not yet been revealed by the authorities as of Monday, was allegedly looking for McDonald’s brother. The witness reportedly told police an argument broke out when McDonald got upset because he was skipped over in the smoke session and things escalated quickly.
As per a statement on Facebook detailing the alleged offense, when police arrived at the scene, they thought there was a shootout but quickly learned it was actually a stabbing.
Officers located McDonald on Sunday, October 8, just a few hours after the 21-year-old victim had emerged from McDonald’s home with an “obvious injury to his abdomen” and the witness tried to help before dialling 911.
The victim was rushed to a hospital before he died
When the victim was asked who was responsible for his injuries, he “pointed back at the house but was unable to provide more details,” the police said. The victim was then rushed to a nearby hospital where he breathed his last.
Police were seen surrounding Joseph McDonald in a video footage
In a video footage of the dramatic bust posted on Facebook by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, Ocotber 8, police were seen surrounding McDonald once he was spotted at around 1 pm.
The perpetrator was located in brush roughly three miles from the alleged murder spot with the help of K-9 units and police helicopters flying overhead.
His hand was visibly bleeding and was wrapped in a rag-like material. Police said they transported McDonald to a hospital in Sanford for medical care and that officials there agreed his hand looked lacerated by a sharp object.
Joseph McDonald was suffering from 'mental illness for several years'
McDonald had only been living at the residence for a couple of months before the incident and police were informed he “had been experiencing mental illness for several years.”
He is being held without bond at the jail in Volusia County and is facing a charge of first-degree murder.
