Florida residents were left in shock after a horse stable nestled within a gated community was the scene of a violent machete attack Tuesday evening.
Horse groomsman Abundio Jasso is accused of injuring two people in the attack, including Jasso's employer, who suffered a severed nose, CBS12 reported.
Aimee Waters recently hired Jasso, 56, at her stable, but told police that Jasso was often intoxicated and responded to job-related requests aggressively. When Waters realized Jasso had not performed a night check of the stables, she brought her tenant, Joseph Hawk, with her to Jasso's RV.
Water said that Jasso reportedly shined a flashlight into their eyes and appeared drunk. Rather than press the issue with Jasso, Waters and Hawk went to the stable to perform his duties themselves. As they began the night check, they were surprised by Jasso entering the barn wielding a machete.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office told CBS12 that Hawk was attacked first when he attempted to protect Waters. Hawk suffered multiple cuts to his arm and ribcage, and told detectives he watched as Jasso severed Waters' nose with a machete strike to her face.
Waters fell to the ground and Hawk was struck again as he came to her defense. The two eventually escaped Jasso and called 911 from a locked room within the stable.
Jasso locked himself inside his RV but deputies coaxed him out. He allegedly told them he attacked Waters because she insulted him.
"It's surreal. This is such a nice neighborhood. It's gated," neighbor Emily Ciceroni told CBS12. "Nothing ever happens here."
"Once we found out it was at Aimee's, it's like, what the heck? Because you wouldn't expect anyone, especially an employee..." Randy Halvorsrød, another neighbor, told the outlet. "It's just horrifying for us that someone in our community had to endure this."
Waters' upper jawbone was fractured and she suffered severe facial trauma in addition to the severing of her nose. Hawk had a fractured wrist along with lacerations on his arm, tricep and ribcage.
Jasso is charged with first-degree attempted murder and is being held without bond.
