Florida male stripper arrested after stabbing lover in the eyes during domestic dispute

A Florida male stripper is accused of stabbing his partner in both eyes with a pen and then cramming a piece of wood down his throat during a domestic altercation in Key West.

Justin Calhoun, a 24-year-old from Tampa, was arrested on an attempted second-degree murder charge after he allegedly attacked 67-year-old Mark Brann early on Monday (14 August), authorities said.

Calhoun told police that he and Brann were in a sexual relationship and he often stayed at Brann's home, NBC Miami reported. The two got into an argument because Calhoun believed Brann was a "cannibal," the arrest report said.

According to the report, when Calhoun questioned Brann about being a cannibal, Brann became angry and picked up a gun. Calhoun said the two struggled before the gun went off, though no one was injured.

He told police he was able to take the gun away from Brann and tried to shoot him but the gun jammed. Calhoun then grabbed a pen and stabbed Brann in both eyes. As Brann called for help from the floor, Calhoun said he grabbed a piece of wood that broke off from a dresser and crammed it into Brann's mouth.

Calhoun then stood up and stomped the piece of wood further in the victim's mouth, according to the report. He proceeded to hit the victim with a drawer from the broken dresser.

The suspect told police that when Brann's roommate tried to enter the room, he locked the door and jumped out of the window while naked.

Police later found Calhoun near the scene of the incident. "Calhoun admitted he went beyond self-defence," Detective Jeffrey Dean wrote in the arrest reported.

Brann was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, where he is listed as being in critical condition, the Miami Herald reported.