New details have emerged in connection with a Merritt Island neighborhood disturbance that was captured on a Ring security camera and previously reported. According to Brevard County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavits, the suspect was taken into custody after deputies say he forced his way into an occupied residence, caused more than $1,000 in property damage, armed himself with multiple weapons, and physically fought with a deputy during the arrest.
What Deputies Say Happened
Deputies responded to a call on January 28 at a home on Hillview Circle in Merritt Island after multiple callers reported a man knocking on doors, requesting entry into homes, damaging security cameras, striking garbage cans, and tearing up yards. The defendant is identified in the affidavits as Charles Reed Knight III, 54.
In a sworn statement, a resident told investigators that Knight entered her home uninvited, picked up items inside the residence, and refused to leave when asked. The affidavit states he caused more than $1,000 in damage to property inside the home before departing.
Confrontation With a Neighbor and Responding Deputies
A roommate at a nearby property was awakened by the disturbance and went outside to confront Knight. Investigators say Knight aggressively charged the roommate, struck him with a closed fist, and then chased him as he attempted to flee down the street.
When deputies arrived and attempted to detain Knight, a physical confrontation ensued. According to the affidavit of the arresting deputy, Knight threw punches and continued resisting even after a Taser was deployed, requiring officers to forcibly place him in handcuffs.
Charges Filed
Knight was booked into the Brevard County Jail on multiple charges listed in the affidavits, including armed burglary of a structure, criminal mischief causing more than $1,000 in damage, simple battery, trespass of an occupied structure, and additional charges stemming from the confrontation with law enforcement.
Connection to the Firearms Industry
Knight is connected to the Space Coast firearms industry. According to community members, he serves in a management role at Knight’s Armament Company, a Titusville-based firearms manufacturer. Public patent records list “Charles Reed Knight, III” as an inventor on a design patent assigned to Knight’s Armament Company for a firearm component.
As with all criminal cases, the charges filed against Charles Reed Knight III are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.