ST. LOUIS, MO – A disturbing incident unfolded in Hazelwood, Missouri, when a man was brutally assaulted with a machete after accusing another individual of selling drugs to his wife, a situation he believes led to her tragic demise. The accused, identified as 41-year-old Terence Kimbrough from Florissant, is now facing grave charges for his alleged actions.
The Hazelwood Police Department provided details of the violent encounter, which took place on December 3 at the Haven Inn and Suites located on North Hanley Road. The victim, who has not been named for his protection, reported that an argument with Kimbrough escalated into physical violence. He alleges that Kimbrough first punched him in the face, then grabbed a machete and struck him multiple times on the head.
Kimbrough, when questioned by the police, reportedly admitted that he had attacked the victim with the machete. However, he claimed he was acting in self-defense, alleging that the victim had assaulted him first. Kimbrough was subsequently arrested at the hotel, and the police were able to recover the machete from the room.
Following the attack, the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital. He received treatment for multiple head injuries, including a deep wound at the back of his head. The seriousness of his injuries and current condition have not been disclosed to the public.
In the aftermath of the incident, Kimbrough is now facing charges of first-degree assault, a Class B felony, and armed criminal action. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for the assault charge alone. Three years could be added to his sentence for the armed criminal action. A St. Louis court has set his bond at $150,000, cash-only.
Despite being a small suburb of St. Louis with a population of around 25,000, Hazelwood has not been immune to crime. However, there is a silver lining. St. Louis reported a 22% decrease in the homicide rate by September 2023, a significant drop that aligns with the national average of a 12% reduction during the same period. Criminologist Rick Rosenfeld has suggested that the end of pandemic lockdowns and the aftermath of the George Floyd protests may have contributed to the decline in homicides.