'I'm scared he'll hurt me': Florida woman texts 911 during armed break-in

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (WFLA) — The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office shared video showing how a woman utilized the 911 text feature when she didn’t feel safe enough to speak out loud, and how officers responded accordingly.

Early Monday morning, deputies responded to a residence after receiving a 911 text from a woman fearing for her life after her brother broke into her home and was armed with a machete.

“My brother broke into my house and is threatening to kill me. I’m scared he’ll do it before help can get here,” the woman wrote.

Discretion was key for responding deputies, as the woman feared seeing first responders arrive might set the suspect off.

“Please don’t have them come with their lights on cuz I’m scared he’ll hurt me,” the victim wrote.

The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Justin Troy Locke, was taunting the victim from outside her bedroom door after breaking in, the arrest report said.

“Do you have a pistol in your hand? Because you’re going to need it,” he reportedly told the victim. Then he began lighting paper towels on fire and putting them under her door, and the victim told police she could see the smoke and flames from where she was in the bedroom.

Locke initially ignored orders from police to come outside the house and threw a Coke can at the officers standing outside. After being struck three times by 40 mm ‘less lethal’ rounds, he complied and was taken into custody.

Locke was charged with felony burglary, attempted arson, attempted resisting an officer with violence, and misdemeanor assault.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office shared a reminder that texting 911 is an option in situations where a person can’t make a call.

“Call if you can, text if you can’t,” they wrote on Facebook.