Man accused of threatening convenience store employee with knife: 'I'll gut you like a fish' | FOX 35 Orlando
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Man accused of threatening convenience store employee with knife: 'I'll gut you like a fish'

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Published  March 21, 2025 12:16am EDT
Orlando
FOX 35 Orlando

Man accused of threatening convenience store employee

Late breaking news events and top stories of the day are updated by the FOX 35 Nightly News Team.

The Brief

    • A knife-wielding man caused a scare at an Orlando convenience store, threatening customers before making a coffee and leaving. 
    • Employee Emanuel Matos kept the man focused on him to prevent harm. 
    • Deputies later arrested the suspect, charging him with aggravated assault.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A knife-wielding man caused a scare at an Orlando convenience store, threatening customers before making a coffee and leaving. 

‘I’ll gut you like a fish’

What we know:

A man armed with a knife caused panic inside the Manilla Express convenience store on East Colonial Drive early Wednesday morning. 

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 61-year-old Kelvin Whitt, who entered the store around 6:15 a.m. and began shouting threats. 

Store employee Emanuel Matos kept Whitt engaged, ensuring the safety of customers. Whitt eventually made a coffee, paid $1.25, and left before deputies arrested him on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He remains in jail on a $5,000 bond.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not revealed whether Whitt had a prior criminal record or if he was under the influence at the time of the incident. It’s also unclear why he chose this specific store or if he had any previous interactions with Matos.

The backstory:

Matos was working his regular shift when Whitt entered, aggressively shouting at customers and making threats.

 Surveillance footage shows Whitt holding a knife as he moved toward the coffee counter, all while Matos kept his attention to prevent harm to others. Despite the threats, Whitt completed his purchase and left the store before being arrested.

Big picture view:

The incident highlights the dangers that retail workers face daily. Though no one was harmed, the situation could have escalated quickly. Matos’ quick thinking may have prevented a violent outcome. The case also raises concerns about public safety and the response to individuals exhibiting erratic behavior in community spaces.

What they're saying:

Emanuel Matos said he was working at the Manilla Express convenience store when Kelvin Whitt walked in and yelled, "What’s up motherf****r!" catching everyone in the business off guard.

Matos said he followed up by saying, "I’ll gut you like a fish."

That’s when Matos said he realized what was happening.

"I looked to his right arm, and he already had a blade already open," Matos said.

Surveillance video shows the moment Whitt turned to face Matos. Another camera showed several customers watching in disbelief as Whitt continued to shout.

"He started rambling about that he was ready to stab somebody, and he hadn’t had his coffee," Matos recalled.

As Whitt heads to the coffee counter, video shows him holding the knife in his right hand. Matos follows — still engaging with him.

"I keep on putting the attention towards me, in a way. So, that way he could focus on me and nobody else in the store," Matos said. "I just wanted to make sure everybody was okay."

Whitt then made a coffee, paid for it and left.

"The coffee was $1.25," Matos said. "So yeah, all that for $1.25."

What's next:

That $1.25 coffee turned into a $5,000 bond, after Orange County deputies arrested Whitt. He is now charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. As of Thursday night, he was still in jail.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Orange County Sheriff's Office and accounts of the incident by the victim, Emanuel Matos.

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