ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The woman accused of stabbing and injuring an Episcopalian priest in a "random" attack Wednesday morning in downtown St. Augustine also produced a knife toward a McDonald's employee prior to the attack, a St. Augustine Police Department report said.
Arieana Gibbs, 22, was charged with attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault and felony battery after an attack on Trinity Parish Father Matt Marino that stunned the community. Marino is recovering from his injuries.
Around 8 a.m. Wednesday, the report said, Gibbs approached an employee near a soda machine at the North Ponce De Leon Boulevard McDonald's and asked "Can you help me with something?" She grabbed the victim's arm and showed a knife, but the victim was able to pull their arm back, the report said.
Gibbs then headed east on San Marco Avenue and stopped at Juniper Market where Marino and another person were sitting outside, the report said. Gibbs said "Excuse me sir" and then stabbed the victim "unprovoked," the report stated. The stabbing penetrated the victim's lung and the report notes that without the "life saving efforts of EMTs on scene the victim very well could have died."
The police department said the stabbing appeared to have been "random" and that Gibbs and Marino did not know each other. Gibbs has a previous misdemeanor battery case from September.
Police found Gibbs around 10:30 a.m. They warned the public Wednesday morning of a heavy police presence in the downtown area while they searched for Gibbs, who was seen traveling on a bike.
The church was placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure.
Gibbs is being held in St. Johns County Jail without bond.
