A Jacksonville woman was arrested after allegedly spraying her ex-boyfriend with mace and stabbing him outside Burger King.
Deputies were called to the Burger King near The Avenues Mall just after 6:45 a.m. Tuesday after someone reported their 57-year-old co-worker had been stabbed and was bleeding.
A trauma alert was issued for the man and April Vereen, 41, was detained at the scene.
Burger King employees told investigators the victim is a cook at the Burger King and was scheduled to work at 7 a.m.
They said Vereen is his ex-girlfriend and works at the Ruby Tuesday across the street.
According to the victim's co-workers, Vereen "frantically" came into the restaurant and placed a large kitchen knife on the main front counter.
The report says the victim also came inside, fell to the floor and asked his coworkers to call 911. He told his co-workers Vereen had stabbed him.
An assistant manager said Vereen was in a "rage" and said, "Y’all checking on him and he tried to kill me."
The report says that, when officers interviewed the victim at the hospital, he said he had gotten off the bus at the mall and gone across the street to buy cigarettes and a beer.
He said he had been smoking and drinking his beer before work when Vereen sprayed him with mace three or four times.
He told police he had grabbed her and then had felt a sharp object on his left side.
He said Vereen then fled inside the Burger King.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report says the victim was stabbed in the upper hip area. A nurse told officers he had a 2-inch-long cut that was 6 inches deep.
Vereen had a cut on her left hand between her thumb and finger.
The report says surveillance video appeared to show her carrying the knife as she was walking into the Burger King.
Vereen was arrested and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
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