Port Charlotte, Florida – A routine trip to the supermarket turned into a shocking scene of violence when a Florida father stabbed a woman with a chef’s knife following an argument involving his family.
The man, Jammacar Rodkesh Gayle (40), was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the brutal attack that unfolded at Milan Supermarket on June 9, 2023.
What began as a verbal disagreement between two women quickly escalated into a life-threatening assault, leaving the victim critically injured and sparking community outrage.
How the Incident Unfolded
Gayle had entered the store with his children and ex-wife. As they approached the meat counter, a verbal altercation began between Gayle’s ex-partner and another woman in the store. The argument reportedly started when the woman criticized Gayle’s partner for using foul language in front of the children.
Surveillance footage reportedly showed Gayle keeping his distance at first, trying not to get involved. But tensions reignited when the woman returned to the meat counter to collect the rest of her order. A shove between the women turned into a brawl near a shelf displaying kitchen knives and cookware.
According to authorities, Gayle was pushed into a meat cooler during the scuffle. He then grabbed a cast-iron pan and tried to strike the woman. His eldest daughter stopped him, pulling the pan away.
But moments later, Gayle ripped open the packaging of an 8-inch chef’s knife, slashed the woman across the head and abdomen, and stabbed her repeatedly in a violent outburst.
A Desperate Scene
The woman stumbled out of the store, bleeding heavily, and attempted to take a photo of Gayle’s license plate. Gayle reportedly threatened her again, still holding the knife, before fleeing the scene with his family.
Emergency responders airlifted the woman to a nearby trauma center, where she was treated for life-threatening injuries.
Arrest and Trial
Police recovered the bloody knife and Gayle’s bloodstained clothes from a home in North Port, where he had stayed before driving to New York. He was arrested the next day by U.S. Marshals in Queens and extradited back to Florida.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Gayle’s attack was deliberate and violent, while the defense claimed he was acting out of fear and had no criminal history.
Gayle was convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and causing great bodily harm. On April 14, 2025, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
A Community in Shock
Both Gayle’s family and the victim were regular customers at Milan Supermarket. The store owner said he knew them but was unsure if their paths had ever crossed before that day.
The violent outburst turned a simple shopping trip into a scene of chaos, leaving blood on the floor and a trail of trauma for everyone involved.