By Katherine Lam, Fox News
A Florida teenager — who had previously been investigated for “alleged violent tendencies” — watched jihadist videos and read the Koran “to give him courage” before stabbing a 13-year-old boy to death and seriously injuring two others at a birthday sleepover Monday, cops said.
Corey Johnson, 17, was charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder after police said he confessed to the assault at the 13th birthday sleepover party at a BallenIsles Country Club home, the Palm Beach Post reported.
Jupiter Police, Palm Beach County School District police and the FBI previously received “intelligence gathering” on Johnson that prompted an investigation into his “alleged violent tendencies,” the Palm Beach Post reported.
“Corey Johnson is out there with a knife. He’s a murderer. That’s all I know.”
Johnson reportedly told police he woke up at 4 a.m. Monday at Kyle Bancroft’s home and had an urge to kill Kyle’s mother, Elaine Simon; Kyle’s brother, 13-year-old Dane Bancroft; and Dane’s friend, 13-year-old Jovanni Sierra. The three victims were each asleep at the time, the Post reported.
“In his statement, Johnson advised he stabbed the victims because of his Muslim faith,” the affidavit stated.
Johnson and Kyle Bancroft allegedly watched violent jihadist videos the night before the 17-year-old carried out the deadly stabbing. Using a knife he brought to the home, Johnson stabbed Sierra multiple times before slitting his throat.
Simon, apparently hearing Sierra moaning in pain, began walking upstairs around 6 a.m. when Johnson allegedly lunged at her. Police say he stabbed her at least a dozen times before she fell down the stairs. Dane was stabbed 32 times while attempting to help his mother, according to the Palm Beach Post.
“He’s a hero,” the boy’s father said during a phone interview with the Post. “He saved his mom.”
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