Teen’s fatal stabbing at Oakland Park home leads to questions about who lives there

Neighbors say home where fatal stabbing occurred has had past issues

OAKLAND PARK, Fla. — A 14-year-old was stabbed to death by a 16-year-old during a fight at a home in Oakland Park.

It happened in the 5400 block of Northeast Third Avenue on Monday.

The victim has been identified by the Broward Sheriff’s Office as Jordan Dowdy.

A bio hazard van was parked in the driveway of the home one day after the murder, with investigators still working inside.

Akyra Gulley lives nearby and says the home is a group home for boys, and there have been issues leading up to Monday’s killing.

“We’ve called the police several times,” she said.

Gulley says for more than a year, the Broward Sheriff’s Office were constantly called to the home for various reasons.

“Honestly, it’s been pretty scary,” she said. “There have been threats made against our animals, our cats.”

Gulley says different groups of boys have lived in the house throughout the last year and a half.

“My grandparents have personally been threatened, they’re elderly, in their 70’s,” she said.

After the murder, they watched paramedics try to save the teen.

“They rolled out Jordan on a stretcher and they were doing CPR on him and he was covered in blood,” Gulley said.

She says they were familiar with the victim, calling him the only respectful teen in the bunch.

The suspect was identified as 16-year-old Ruben Whitworth.

He was taken to a juvenile detention facility and is facing a murder charge.

Local 10 News has followed up with BSO regarding what neighbors said, and requested the calls for service for the address.

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About The Author
Bridgette Matter

Bridgette Matter

Bridgette Matter joined the Local 10 News team as a reporter in July 2021. Before moving to South Florida, she began her career in South Bend, Indiana and spent six years in Jacksonville as a reporter and weekend anchor.