Family Dollar stabbing suspect arrested

TAMPA -- A Family Dollar employee is recovering from her injuries this morning after a stabbing outside the Tampa store where she was working Tuesday evening, Tampa police say.

About 6:15 p.m., Amy Houck suspected a customer, Sonya Patrice Wyatt, 33, of Safety Harbor of shoplifting and confronted her outside the store at 6006 N Nebraska Ave., a police spokeswoman Janelle McGregor said.

Wyatt cut Houck, 46, twice in the left ear and stabbed her left shoulder blade, McGregor said, and threatened to do the same to another woman who tried to break up the melee. Houck was transported to Tampa General Hospital. Her condition was unknown.

Wyatt was arrested on charges of attempted felony murder, armed robbery, carrying a concealed weapon and aggravated assault, McGregor said. She was being held Wednesday in the Falkenburg Road Jail with no bond.

Rodney Thrash, Times staff writer