Bradenton man stabbed woman in violent attack, deputies say. He faces charges
A Bradenton man is facing charges after deputies say he stabbed his brother’s girlfriend during an attack that ended when his brother shot him.
Deputies arrested 21-year-old Dakota Michael Hayes on Monday and charged him with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a knife, according to court records. The charges stem from an Aug. 12 altercation last week at the family’s home in the Silver Lake neighborhood near Jiggs Landing, the Bradenton Herald previously reported.
An attorney representing Hayes did not immediately respond to the Bradenton Herald’s request for comment.
On Aug. 12, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies said they responded around 8 a.m. to reports of a stabbing and shooting in the 5200 block of 60th Drive East.
Outside, deputies said they found Dakota Hayes with gunshot wounds. His older brother, 24-year-old Willie Hayes, came out of the home and told deputies he had shot him after witnessing his younger brother stab his girlfriend multiple times, according to the sheriff’s office.
An arrest report states the violence followed an incident the previous day when Dakota allegedly threatened to kill the woman after becoming upset about her washing a dish in the sink. She told deputies he made the threats in front of other family members and that he had been “obsessed with her for several years.”
Deputies also said relatives described him as behaving erratically in the weeks before the attack.
Bradenton man charged in violent stabbing
The next morning, the woman said she was lying in bed using her phone when Dakota burst through her door, punched her in the face and pulled out a knife, according to the arrest report. Deputies said he stabbed her at least 11 times in the head, neck and abdomen.
According to an arrest report, Willie told deputies he was in the bathroom when he heard his girlfriend scream. He said he ran into the room and saw his younger brother stabbing her. Deputies say Dakota then swung the knife at him, and Willie dodged and wrestled with him for control of the weapon. As the struggle continued, Willie reached into a bag for his firearm and fired three shots, striking Dakota in the hip, buttocks and forearm, according to the report.
Deputies gave the woman first aid until paramedics arrived. Both she and Dakota were taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, and deputies said that afternoon both were expected to survive.
A GoFundMe created by the stabbing victim’s sister said she required emergency surgery on her intestines as well as additional surgeries to repair nerve damage in her face. The fundraiser also says she has limited motion on the right side of her body due to spinal cord injuries. As of Thursday, the fundraiser had raised about $2,200 of a $7,000 goal.
Witnesses describe attacker’s ‘episodes’
Detectives said at the time of the incident that a motive remained unclear. In an arrest report filed Thursday, deputies noted that both Willie and another witness described Dakota as having “episodes” in the weeks before the stabbing, though they said he had not been violent.
Court records show Hayes pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial. His attorney, Jonathan Scott Glover, also filed a motion suggesting Hayes is not competent to proceed.
In the filing, Glover wrote that conversations with Hayes revealed irrational thought processes, irrelevant dialogue and unresponsiveness to questions about the charges. He also alleged that Hayes appeared to suffer from delusions and mental disorganization that distorted his understanding of events.
Hayes is scheduled for a court hearing on Friday at the Manatee County Judicial Center before Circuit Court Judge Frederick Mercurio. His arraignment is set for Oct. 3, according to court records.
Under Florida law, attempted first-degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is a third-degree felony that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
He remains in custody at the Manatee County Jail without bond on the attempted murder charge, according to the sheriff’s office website.
This story was originally published August 22, 2025 at 5:50 AM.
