PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – An investigation is underway after a man fatally stabbed his wife Thursday morning in a residential community in Pembroke Pines, authorities said.
A Local 10 News crew was at the Grand Palms community in the 1400 block of Lacosta Drive as SWAT Team members were focusing their attention on one home.
A flash bang was heard before SWAT members brought a man out of the home in a sling.
“This morning at about 6:30, my neighbor from across the street called me and he said, ‘There’s police activity,’” Ali Pourshariati, who lives nearby said. “My wife was about to leave the house and he said the road was blocked.”
According to Pembroke Pines police, someone called 911 shortly after 6 a.m. to report that a man had attacked his wife with a knife and then locked himself inside of the home’s garage.
Local 10 News has learned that the suspect is Jorge Sancler and the victim is his wife, Veronica Sancler.
Peter Robinson told Local 10 News he was renting the home to his friends, the Sanclers.
“I still can’t believe it, I mean it is not something I could’ve seen happening it is still a shock to me,” Robinson said. “They are all dear friends of mine and I am Godfather of the daughter so it is very personal.”
Police said five children were inside the home at the time of the stabbing.
Neighbors were shocked by the news.
“Normal family -- they’re from Venezuela,” Pourshariati said.
According to authorities, officers quickly secured the surrounding area, and retrieved the victim and children from inside of the home.
Veronica Sancler was transported by Pembroke Pines Fire-Rescue to a nearby hospital, where she died.
Police said Jorge Sancler remained barricaded inside of the garage until SWAT members were able to safely get to him.
He was then transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. According to police, the man’s injuries were not inflicted by law enforcement, but they declined to release more information about how he was injured.
A motive for the stabbing remains unclear.
“Oh, I was really surprised,” Pourshariati said. “We don’t have any kind of activities in this neighborhood. It’s very safe. That’s why we live here, but this seems to be an internal conflict.”
Police said the investigation remains ongoing.