LAKE PARK, Fla. — A local man was allegedly assaulted with a rock and robbed of his firearm Wednesday night during a violent encounter that escalated into a dramatic police chase.
The incident took place around 9:38 p.m. in the 800 block of Lido Circle, where deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of an armed robbery. Upon arriving, they found the victim, who had sustained injuries to his face and was bleeding. According to law enforcement, the victim recounted that he had just returned from a nearby grocery store when he was approached by 35-year-old Charles “Chop” Brown.
The confrontation commenced as the victim opened the driver’s door of his vehicle. Brown allegedly inquired about the victim’s personal relationships before launching a violent attack, hitting him repeatedly with a rock approximately the size of a cellphone. The assault reportedly left the victim pinned inside his vehicle, struggling to defend himself.
As the altercation unfolded, the victim attempted to reach for his Smith & Wesson pistol. However, Brown managed to seize the firearm, reportedly threatening the victim, saying, “I got your gun now, I’m going to kill you,” before fleeing the scene on foot. Emergency responders from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue treated the victim for a laceration under his left eye at the scene.
Following the attack, law enforcement quickly established a perimeter and deployed aviation and K-9 units to aid in the search for Brown. The suspect’s vehicle was eventually located near a Texas Roadhouse on North Congress Avenue. When deputies tried to stop the vehicle, the driver evaded capture, turning off the headlights and initiating a high-speed chase.
The pursuit continued until deputies determined it was too risky to proceed further, opting to track the vehicle from the air. The chase ended when Brown stopped in the 1000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, where he fled on foot through residential yards and entered an apartment complex. Law enforcement quickly reestablished a perimeter and successfully apprehended Brown without additional incident.
In post-arrest interviews, Brown reportedly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the altercation was mutual rather than a robbery. However, deputies gathered sufficient evidence to warrant charges against him, including robbery with a weapon, fleeing law enforcement at high speeds, and armed burglary.
The case highlights the dangers of violent crime and the often swift response by law enforcement to violent incidents in the community. The Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the charges against Brown.