BRADENTON, FLA. — Manatee County deputies arrested a man accused of stabbing a 15-year-old multiple times Tuesday afternoon, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office (MCSO).
MCSO charged 34-year-old Quazone Elijawun Taylor with attempted murder. He was booked into the Manatee County Jail on Sunday, according to a news release.
WATCH: Manatee County deputies looking for attempted murder suspect
"He used a knife, got him in the upper body multiple times. His intent was murder," said Randy Warren, public information officer for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.
The stabbing happened shortly before 3 p.m. last Tuesday in the 600 block of 33rd Avenue Drive East in Bradenton — just minutes from the sheriff's office.
The teen had just gotten home from a nearby high school when he was attacked in the backyard of the home where he was staying, Warren said.
"Our victim had come from the high school back to this residence where he had been staying," Warren said.
The attack happened while the two were in the backyard, investigators said. When deputies arrived, they found the 15-year-old suffering from multiple stab wounds to his neck and upper body. He was taken to a regional hospital with serious injuries but is expected to survive.
Taylor, who was visiting the home, fled before deputies arrived. Investigators believe the attack was targeted.
"We don't believe that he is just going around and randomly attacking people," Warren said. "There may have been a reason why he went after this guy. We believe it is a little more targeted toward this victim."
The neighborhood where the stabbing occurred is a quiet residential area where neighbors say they keep to themselves. Multiple residents told our crew they did not want to speak on camera out of fear for their safety.
At one point Tuesday, a nearby middle school was placed on lockdown as a precaution due to the heavy police presence. Deputies initially believed Taylor may have been barricaded inside the home, but later determined he had already left the area.
The search continued until Taylor was ultimately found and taken into custody on Sunday.
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Tampa Bay 28's Haley Zarcone lives and works in Manatee County. It’s her mission to connect with her neighbors and help them find answers to the issues they see every day.
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