Dating App Meetup Ends With Double Stabbing In Orange County Apartment: Police

MIDDLETOWN, NY — A dating app meetup had tragic consequences for a visitor to the Hudson Valley from Long Island.

The Middletown Police Department says that on Sunday, around 7:05 p.m., officers responded to the Sutton Hill Apartments on Underhill Road after receiving a noise complaint.

While officers were responding to the address, a second call was received about a possible dispute taking place with people fighting and yelling.

Once officers were at the scene, they were directed to an apartment. Officers reportedly heard noise consistent with a struggle and were allowed into the apartment where they found two people inside, both of whom were bleeding with multiple stab wounds.

Police administered life-saving medical assistance, and requested EMS to the scene. Both were taken to Garnet Health Medical Center via Empress Ambulance.

A preliminary investigation found that the two had not previously known one another, and that they had arranged to meet at the suspect's Middletown apartment via an online dating app. The victim was visiting from Nassau County.

Police say that at some point during the interaction, the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim several times in the back, neck, face, and abdomen. After a struggle over the knife took place, the suspect also received stab wounds, cops said.

The victim, whose name police say will not be released, received life-threatening injuries, including a collapsed lung and facial lacerations that are expected to result in the loss of the victim's right eye. The victim was transferred from Garnet Health Medical Center to Westchester Medical Center for surgery and advanced trauma care, according to Middletown police.

Police identified the suspect as 28-year-old Reggie Florence, of the City of Middletown. His injuries were non-life-threatening, and he was treated and released from the hospital. Florence was arrested and scheduled to be arraigned on the charges of felony second-degree attempted murder, and felony first-degree assault.