Man's stomach ripped open with machete

5 or 6 men sought in Atlantic Beach attack last month

ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. – Police are still looking for a group of five or six Hispanic men who they said stabbed and ripped open the stomach of a young man with a machete nearly two weeks ago.

The man, whom News4Jax is identifying only as Ronnie, is still in critical condition. His family is worried the group could attack again.

Police are looking for those involved in the attack that happened about 3 a.m. Sept. 21 in the 1200 block of Rose Street. No arrests have been made.

"They stabbed him with a machete and ripped it around his stomach," Ronnie's grandmother said.

She said he was near his home in Atlantic Beach when he and his brother were attacked by the group of men.

Surveillance video from a neighbor's house isn't clear but shows an SUV drive up and people fighting in the street.

Ronnie's grandmother said it happened after Ronnie's brother brother got into a fight with a group of people at a convenience store on Mayport Road, a fight she said Ronnie had nothing to do with.

"Carload of people pulled up, they all jumped out with machetes and knives and attacked Ronnie," his grandmother said.

It happened 12 days ago, early on a Sunday morning. Police got a call that there was a fight with a group of people who had bats.

Ronnie's brother, who the report says was covered with blood when officers arrived, kept shouting, 'Call the ambulance,' and that his brother's intestines were hanging out.

The family said Ronnie is still in the hospital in intensive care.

"I have no idea why (they attacked him)," Ronnie's grandmother said. "The only thing I can figure is, they get him instead of the other person. Because he's a little, small guy. He's not a troublemaker, don't fight."

Atlantic Beach police acknowledge there was some type of fight that night and that a machete and bats were used.

"I want to see justice," Ronnie's grandmother said. "I want them to find the people that are responsible for this and arrest them. And if they're illegal, they need to be transported back away from here, or even if they're on a visa, they need to be out of here."

Police said the attackers were in a light-colored SUV, possibly a 2004-08 Ford Explorer or Lincoln Navigator. The machete was described as having a silver blade with a black handle.

Two of the Hispanic men possibly have injuries to their face as a result of the fight, police said.

The victims were able to describe two of the men. The first was described as 6 feet tall and between 160 and 180 pounds, with an average build, medium-length hair, and about 25 years old. The second was described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, wearing eyeglasses, having a thin mustache, and between 30 and 35 years old.

The attackers' vehicle was last seen traveling northbound on Rose Street.

Anyone with any information about the attack is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.


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