A 72-year-old West Palm Beach man is facing an attempted second-degree murder charge after police say he stabbed an acquaintance during an argument on 49th Street, then followed the wounded victim to a nearby fire station and stabbed him again while allegedly threatening to kill him.
Officers responded to Fire Station 3 at approximately 11:15 p.m. on September 8 under case number 2026-0012953, according to an official release from the City of West Palm Beach Police Department. Police say the victim, who had already been stabbed once during an argument with David Steeves, ran to the station seeking help, only for Steeves to follow him there. As reported by WPEC, the victim was later transported to a hospital and is currently in stable condition.
According to the police department, Steeves allegedly made explicit verbal threats to kill the victim while stabbing him a second time on fire department property. Authorities expressed thanks to West Palm Beach Fire Department personnel for delivering immediate emergency medical care to the victim at the station before he was taken to the hospital, a detail that underscores how firefighters found themselves acting as both witnesses and first responders in the same incident.
A Few Blocks Made All the Difference
Municipal procurement records place Fire Station No. 3 at 5050 Broadway Avenue, within one to two blocks of the 500 block of 49th Street where the initial stabbing occurred. That proximity meant the injured victim could reach paramedics on foot, but it also meant Steeves was able to catch up with him on fire department grounds, where the second stabbing and alleged threats took place.
Steeves and the victim were personal acquaintances prior to their argument along 49th Street, according to a report from Atlántikas Noticias, which cited confirmation from West Palm Beach Police. The outlet's account indicates the confrontation stemmed from a dispute between two people who knew each other, rather than a random attack on a stranger.
Charges Carry Steep Penalties Under Florida Law
Steeves was charged with attempted second-degree murder and tampering with evidence, per the police department's release. Under Florida Statutes § 782.04 and § 777.04, attempted second-degree murder involves an act imminently dangerous to human life that demonstrates a depraved mind without premeditation, and it carries statutory penalties of up to 15 years in state prison, according to Musca Law.
The tampering with evidence count adds further legal exposure. Under Florida Statute § 918.13, altering, destroying, or concealing potential evidence while knowing a law enforcement investigation is underway is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, according to attorney Richard Hornsby. It remains unclear what specific physical item is tied to that charge against Steeves.
Part of a Broader Pattern of Local Violence
West Palm Beach recorded a violent crime rate of 489.1 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2025, according to FBI crime data compiled by SpotCrime. A 2023 report from SoundThinking on local law enforcement operations noted that city police officers carry individual first aid kits and receive trauma medical instruction to help stabilize weapon injury victims alongside fire department paramedics, a protocol that echoes the kind of emergency response firefighters provided at Fire Station 3 in this case.
This is not the first time an argument in West Palm Beach has escalated into a near-fatal stabbing this year. Hoodline previously reported on a Mother's Day stabbing that left a grandmother critical, in which a 29-year-old man was charged with stabbing his 74-year-old grandmother 11 times following a household dispute.
Several details remain unresolved as the case moves forward, including the victim's long-term medical recovery status. Steeves's bond was set at $210,000. Steeves faces severe charges carrying potential decades-long prison terms under Florida law, but as with all criminal accusations, they remain allegations until proven in court.
