FOX 4 reporter aids in capture of machete-wielding person of interest in Fort Worth

FORT WORTH, Texas - When gathering information about a machete-wielding individual in Fort Worth responsible for two attacks on Friday, FOX 4 reporter Casey Stegall and photojournalist Richie Roberson may have helped police find the suspect.

Fort Worth machete attacks

What we know:

On Friday, Aug. 21 at around 6:15, Fort Worth Police responded to a person with a weapon call at Capps Park.

The victim said a dark-skinned male was attacking people with a machete. The victim had suffered a small laceration on his hand, but declined medical treatment.

Police learned that a second attack had occurred around 45 minutes prior, where the second victim also received a small laceration on their hand.

The suspect was not immediately taken into custody, and police believed he may have been suffering from mental issues.

FOX 4 assists FWPD

FOX 4 reporter Casey Stegall and photojournalist Richie Roberson were assigned to the machete-wielding individual story.

When the two arrived at Capps Park for news-gathering purposes, they noticed a man sitting at a picnic table who appeared to have a machete.

The man matched the description Fort Worth Police had released earlier in the day.

Our journalists called Fort Worth Police, who asked them to follow the individual from a safe distance.

Stegall and Roberson followed the man for around a mile down Berry Street, updating Fort Worth Police on the phone on their real-time location.

At South Grove Street, multiple Fort Worth Police units arrived and took the man into custody. Police say they found a machete and illicit drugs in his possession, and that his clothing matched witness descriptions.

What we don't know:

We don't know if the man arrested is the same individual responsible for the machete attacks earlier in the day.

FOX 4 has chosen to blur the man's face since he has not confirmed he is responsible for the attacks.

What they're saying:

"These were unprovoked attacks."

That's what Fort Worth Police Officer Buddy Calzada told FOX 4's Casey Stegall about an hour before Stegall noticed the person of interest at Capps Park.

Calzada thanks Stegall, saying sometimes, the police's best eyes are the public's.

"One of the things that we always share is that if you see something, say something," Calzada said. "The best eyes we have in the city are residents, the people that drive through Fort Worth."

What's next:

A victim must identify the man in a photo lineup before police can confirm he was responsible for the attacks.

FOX 4 will keep you updated if police confirm the connection.