Overview
- Police say the attack occurred inside a Publix in Punta Gorda on Saturday, October 10, when a 70‑year‑old man was suddenly slashed in the face and neck with a box cutter.
- The victim suffered a 4–6 inch laceration from his left cheek down to his neck, received multiple stitches at a local hospital, and was reported in stable condition.
- Officers detained 47‑year‑old Ramsey Thomas Lyons near the store entrance, recovered a box cutter at the scene, and booked him into Charlotte County Jail on a charge of aggravated battery of a person 65 or older.
- According to the arrest affidavit, Lyons told police he had an “undiagnosed mental illness,” said he entered the store intending to kill someone, and said he picked the victim because the man “looked like he was from the 1960s”; those statements have not been medically verified.
- Public records show Lyons had prior battery bookings in 2023 and 2025, and the case could prompt a criminal prosecution that includes review of his mental health as the next court date is November 16.