A man is accused of brutally attacking two people during an hour-long rampage last week in Duluth, authorities said.
Warren Crayton, 37, is facing an assault charge in connection with the separate and “disturbing” attacks that left a 16-year-old reportedly bloodied outside a Kroger store and a man partially paralyzed after being beaten and stabbed inside a nearby Shell gas station, according to Duluth police.
Crayton was arrested Friday, three days after the chaos near the intersection of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road, police said.
The teenage victim told police that a stranger, later identified as Crayton, punched him in the face around 4 p.m. Tuesday as he was leaving the Kroger in the Peachtree Hill Shopping Center, according to Channel 2 Action News.
“I look up and next thing I know he punched me and I’m just bloody in my face,” the teen, who was not identified, told the news station. “I couldn’t really see anything because there was a lot of blood in my face.”
About an hour later, authorities said Crayton was captured on surveillance video chasing after two men in the parking lot of the gas station and following one inside.
Police released footage of the attack, which showed the victim running in fear and tripping over a counter near the entrance, causing him to fall. Soon after, Crayton, who police said was holding a knife in his right hand, placed the man in a headlock, threw him to the ground and kicked him several times, according to the footage.
Crayton also stabbed the victim in the back, causing him to suffer a broken vertebrae and “partial paralysis on both legs,” according to arrest warrants. Channel 2 reported that the victim worked at the gas station car wash. Police said Crayton attacked him after some type of argument.
After getting tips from the public, Duluth police activated their special response team and took Crayton into custody outside his residence. He was booked into the county jail early Saturday.
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our community, news media and the Duluth Police Department, we were able to swiftly identify and apprehend the individual responsible,” police spokesman Cpl. Ted Sadowski said in a news release Monday.
Credit: Duluth Police Department
Credit: Duluth Police Department
A motive for the attacks is unclear at this time, but it wasn’t the first time Crayton was arrested. In 2016, he allegedly sent threatening texts mentioning terrorism, bombs and ISIS to his mother, who reported him to police. Crayton faced felony charges related to making terroristic threats.
In August, Crayton was arrested on battery and theft charges after he allegedly took a cellphone from a person and struck them several times in the head, face and chest, according to arrest warrants. Police said he acted in a “violent and tumultuous” manner toward the victim. The following month, Crayton was sentenced to 30 days in jail with a year of probation.
After he was found to have violated his probation, Crayton was ordered by a judge in February to undergo anger management sessions. They were scheduled to begin March 27.
Anyone with more information is asked to contact Duluth police. Crayton is expected to face additional charges as the investigation continues.
ʺWe are incredibly thankful to our community members for their cooperation and assistance in providing credible tips that led to the identification and apprehension of the suspect,” police Chief Jacquelyn Carruth said. “This collaboration highlights the strength of our community partnerships and reinforces our commitment to ensuring the safety and well‐being of all residents.ʺ
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