In a reported act of self-defense, Robinette Varnidoe of Lauderhill claimed to have stabbed a man who attempted to rob her after following her from an ATM. The incident, which happened around 7:30 a.m. yesterday on the 4300 block of Northwest 21st Street, caught the attention of local residents as the confrontation escalated from a pursuit to a physical altercation outside her residence. According to NBC6, Varnidoe recounted the moments leading up to the stabbing, stating she grabbed the knife in self-defense after the assailant, identified as Ferroid Thomas, dragged her outside her home while trying to steal her purse and phone.
Earlier that day, as shown in aerial footage from Chopper 6 obtained by NBC6, the suspect was seen lying on the sidewalk, surrounded by law enforcement, before being taken into custody. Varnidoe previously bought hygiene products from Thomas, and at the ATM confrontation, he accused her of stealing from him, which led to an offer to return the products from outside her home. Somehow being dragged outside, she stabbed him, stated Varnidoe in a statement to the police.
In a separate report from CBS News Miami, Varnidoe relayed the events in which she fended off Thomas near her home, explaining, "He followed me from the store, he tried to rob me." The police subsequently arrested 29-year-old Thomas, who is now facing a burglary with battery charge. After tusseling over her purse, Varnidoe stated, "I didn't know at first. He was trying to say I took some things that I didn't take."
Further details come from WSVN, where Varnidoe's nephew, JR Slim, recounted witnessing the dispute and trying to separate the two when the suspect forced his way into the apartment. After being cut with the knife, Slim sadly reflected on the incident, stating, "He didn't get anything. I can't believe there’s people out there that would try to hurt old people, older folks like that. They have, like, no heart." The suspect was later tracked down by the Lauderhill Police, over an hour later, when a neighbor called 911 to report a bloodied man on their doorstep.
As of last reporting, Thomas was hospitalized in stable condition at Broward Health Medical Center and has been charged formally by the Lauderhill Police Department. The unsettling confrontation, involving accusations of robbery, forced entry, and eventual self-defensive violence, remains under investigation by local authorities.
