OCOEE, Fla. – A 70-year-old Ocoee man was stabbed several times Sunday during a random attack at his own home, investigators said.
Gregory Don Hood, 25, was arrested on a charge of attempted second-degree homicide. Police said the victim did not know Hood.
Neighbors and police said the attack took place just before 3:50 p.m. in a development in the 1700 block of Leslie Ann Lane, near Spring Lake Elementary School.
One neighbor, a stay-at-home mom who heard neighbors yelling, got results.
"I just hope the man recovers from his injuries and is able to make it back in time to his family for Christmas," said Tobiann Dyke, who was putting up Christmas decorations when she heard the man crying for help.
Dyke said she spotted a man running away from the home, carrying a bag. She had never seen him before.
She also noticed a police cruiser parked across the street for a separate incident. Dyke ran to notify the officer of what she saw, and they rushed to the home where they found the victim lying in the grass.
"He was stabbed in the back about 2 inches in diameter and his neck was cut," Dyke said.
Dyke and the officer then put on gloves and helped to treat the victim.
This stay-at-home mom says she heard yelling from the home before she saw a suspect running away. That’s when she rushed to the victim to try stop the bleeding @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/Lore5GUfyH
— Matt Petrillo (@MattPetrillo) December 10, 2017
"We put pressure on his wounds, on his back wound and on his neck wound, and we made sure he didn't bleed out while we were waiting for Fire Rescue to come," Dyke said. "I used to work as a veterinary technician, but nothing with people specifically, but I just saw a person who needed help, so I decided to help. I would hope somebody would do that for me."
Ocoee police are still investigating a motive for the stabbing.
Police caught up with Hood a short distance from the crime scene and arrested him, officers said.