A violent dispute between an uncle and his nephew led to a severe act of violence at a Palm Beach County job site. According to CBS12, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) received a call just after 11 a.m. from a nurse at Good Samaritan Medical Center Emergency Center about a man with a head injury. The man, later identified as a 35-year-old painter, alleged that his uncle, Daniel Pierre, 47, had hit him in the head with a hammer.

The victim, who was able to speak despite his serious injuries, told investigators that he works together with Pierre as painters, often carpooling to job sites. On the day in question, however, Pierre reportedly left for the job site without his nephew, failing to answer multiple calls from him. The nephew then managed to get a neighbor to give him a ride to the work location. Upon his arrival, the nephew overheard Pierre telling the foreman that he "no longer wanted to work with him" because he "had not done a good job," as stated in an arrest affidavit cited by WPTV.

The altercation escalated quickly thereafter. The nephew began painting the front of a residence when, according to the PBSO, he suddenly felt a blow to the head. Upon regaining consciousness, the victim recalled hearing his uncle shouting "let's go!" to an accomplice and leaving the scene in an SUV. Authorities were able to recover the hammer at the job site, solidifying the nephew's claims of the attack.

After the attack, the foreman drove the injured nephew back to his apartment where, according to the victim, Pierre's roommate disclosed to him that Pierre had come home and said he had killed his nephew. The roommate then escorted the injured man to the hospital. Pierre was later arrested and, in a subsequent court appearance on June 17, 2024, faced charges including attempted murder with a deadly weapon. Online jail records obtained by WPTV indicate that Pierre is being held without bond.

The victim suffered life-threatening injuries from the attack, which included a skull fracture and a brain tear. He was transferred to St. Mary's Medical Center for treatment. According to PBSO officials speaking to CBS12, the nephew's condition was a direct result of the assault allegedly perpetrated by his uncle in a brutal moment of family conflict turned violent.