A Winter Haven couple said they went to the park to meet up with friends but instead were attacked.
The incident happened Friday night at Lake Maude Nature Park off Seventh Street N.E. in Winter Haven.
Briaheim Jean-Baptiste and his girlfriend, who is eight months pregnant, did not expect trouble to be waiting for them.
“I got out of the car and then I got attacked by like five people,” Jean-Baptiste said.
Jean-Baptiste said he recognized one of his attacker’s voices because he went to high school with him. Jean-Baptiste said the pair got into an altercation a week ago.
Jean-Baptiste would not elaborate on the incident. But he said he was supposed to meet with a friend at the park and was surprised by the incident.
He said Friday night he was beaten with brass knuckles. His girlfriend, Myranda Shuttera, did not stay in the car because she wanted to help her boyfriend.
"One pushed me on the ground and like the other one…I fell on my knees and the other one pushed me and then they hit me in my back and I got up and then I was like 'I'm pregnant' and they were like I don't give a {expletive},” Shuttera said.
Shuttera said she remembers when one man pointed a gun at her and another man raised brass knuckles.
"He's like, ‘Stay the {expletive} back or I'll {expletive} you up,” Shuttera said.
Shuttera said she backed away, thinking about her son. Jean-Baptiste said he felt defenseless.
"I physically couldn't do anything to save my girlfriend because there were so many people attacking me and then at that moment I felt I was breaking in two,” Jean-Baptiste said.
The couple said the attacked stopped suddenly and the suspects ran away.
"I just hope that they find them and they get what they deserve because what they did wasn't OK,” Shuttera said.
Winter Haven Detectives said Jean-Baptiste’s phone was stolen. They arrested one attacker, the person Jean-Baptiste recognized. He was charged with robbery with a deadly weapon.
The department said they are looking for four or five additional suspects. If you have any information about this case, contact the Winter Haven Police Department.
"I feel like they're not going to charge him for endangering my girlfriend and my son. I feel like that's something that really need(s) to be taken care of,” Jean-Baptiste said.
