Key Biscayne officials said two 17-year-olds — both males — were taken into custody Thursday evening and later arrested in connection with an assault on Crandon Boulevard last Saturday. The announcement, made via email, said the two were apprehended and are suspects in the incident officers said sent a man to the hospital.
In a statement, Interim Manager Charles Press said one was charged with aggravated battery and one charged with battery.
No details of the apprehension were immediately available. Police earlier said the victim was struck in the head with an undescribed object in the roadway near the 400 block of Crandon Boulevard after an intense argument.
The alleged assault has dominated social media in the normally placid village, coming after several months of rising youth crime including multiple thefts of golf carts. The assault case rankled the Village Council so much that members scheduled (for May 17) their first fully open, in-person meeting since the pandemic began, to hear resident concerns.
Press vowed to “flood the streets” with extra officers on weekend nights at a Village Council meeting Tuesday. He is expected to return to his police chief post after incoming manager Steve Williamson is sworn in May 10.
Vice Mayor Ed London, while saying he welcomed the news, cautioned that simply increasing law enforcement spending would not solve problems.
“What people don’t realize is that if we put 100 more cops on the street, that does not guarantee we would get all the baddies,” London said. He said he’s hoping to hear resident ideas at the May 17 session.
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NOTE – This story was updated to show subjects were arrested and charged, and confirmation of subject’s gender.
Tony Winton is the editor-in-chief of the Key Biscayne Independent and president of Miami Fourth Estate, Inc. He worked previously at The Associated Press for three decades winning multiple Edward R. Murrow awards. He was president of the News Media Guild, a journalism union, for 10 years. Born in Chicago, he is a graduate of Columbia University. His interests are photography and technology, sailing, cooking, and science fiction.