Suspect and victim in Clay County ax attack know each other, sheriff’s office says

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Families in Keystone Heights are on high alert after the Clay County Sheriff’s Office says a man struck someone with an ax on Orchid Avenue.

The man has been identified as Kyle Gregory Ploe, according to jail records. He was arrested and charged with attempted murder.

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“I was sort of shocked,” neighbor Sam Wells said.

Ploe was taken into custody shortly after authorities set up a perimeter in the area, authorities say.

Deputies were seen going in and out of the house Friday evening, processing evidence.

“They sort of mind their own business. People come and go over there a lot,” Wells added.

He’s lived in the area for 17 years, and says the neighbors across the street have been there for a few years. Wells says he doesn’t know them too well.

Wells added that the neighborhood is starting to change.

“I knew something like this probably eventually was going to happen.”

Read: Person attacked with ax near Keystone Heights schools, suspect taken into custody

Wells added that the neighborhood has been getting more populated.

“The neighborhood is getting a little worse every year.”

Wells and another neighbor say police have been called to the house before.

People were seen out front earlier Friday evening; they declined to comment.

Wells says the sheriff’s office patrols the neighborhood; he hopes Friday’s incident was rare.

“Hopefully it won’t get worse. Hopefully, it’ll continue being a small, laidback town.”

The sheriff’s office says Ploe and the victim know each other, but it hasn’t been able to tell Action News Jax what their relationship is.

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