PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The surveillance footage from last month’s brutal stabbing attack at a Ponte Vedra Beach restaurant was released.
The attack left 17-year-old Madison Schemitz paralyzed from the chest down after she was stabbed over 10 times by who police said was her ex-boyfriend, Spencer Pearson.
The video, which includes shots from inside Mr. Chubby’s Wings and in the parking lot, shows Pearson walking around the restaurant. At one point, he walks not too far from where the 17-year-old and her mother were seated.
Then, he is seen sitting down.
A few minutes later, Schemitz and her mother get up to leave. Pearson can be seen looking towards the door, then getting up to exit as well.
That’s when the attack ensues in the parking lot.
Video footage shows the moments Pearson runs up to the 17-year-old and her mother. The footage is from a far distance so you can not see the actual attack.
A struggle happens between the three of them then the two men who dashed in to intervene are seen running toward the attack.
Kennedy Armstrong jumped in to break it up while Stepp called the police. Armstrong was also injured in the attack.
James Stepp watched the video and called it “infuriating,” but also acknowledged how it helped him gain a better understanding of the situation.
“That was a little chilling to see when he rushed out the door and then eventually ended up attacking her,” Stepp said. “In the moment, it’s based on so much adrenaline and action so actually getting a chance to see it from the outside perspective was definitely a little different.”
Stepp said the one thing he wants people to take away from this attack is to always help if you can.
“If anyone saw something like this happen, I would just pray they would step up and do the right thing,” he said.
Pearson is facing murder charges.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office said the victims in the case are aware of the release of the footage and have reviewed it.