After a recent stabbing outside a Brookhaven gas station, police said that William Drake began as a witness.

He ended up as a suspect.

Channel 2 Action News reported that Drake, 66, was allegedly seen on surveillance video stabbing a man outside the store, then walking inside.

Denys Rodriguez, 32, was stabbed in the chest and taken to the hospital, Brookhaven police Detective Corey Van Allen told the news station. He was last listed as recovering in the ICU.

When police arrived after the stabbing, Drake was still there, Van Allen said, and investigators spoke to him as a witness.

“Mr. Drake originally told us that he did not witness what happened but saw the victim outside speaking with three Hispanic males,” Van Allen told Channel 2.

But then they saw the video.

Van Allen said Drake was still standing nearby filling out a witness statement. He allegedly looked like the man on the video and was wearing the same clothes.

Drake was questioned and subsequently arrested.

The motive in the case is unknown, but Van Allen said Drake is a military veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

In other news:

The man waited in line for an hour to be told he could only cast a provisional ballot.

About the Author

Keep Reading

President Donald Trump speaks ahead of the signing of the Laken Riley Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on January 29, 2025. (Nathan Posner for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Nathan Posner for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Featured

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, accompanied by Atlanta Fire Chief Roderick Smith, provided an update to the press during a media tour at the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. They discussed the new Simulation Center, which will enable officers to train for various crime scenarios, including domestic disputes, commercial robberies, and kidnappings. Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
(Miguel Martinez / AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez/AJC