Police: Woman attacked cousin, girlfriend with machete

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Volusia County woman is in jail and accused of attacking her cousin and his girlfriend with a machete Monday afternoon.

Police said an argument between family members led to the attack at the home on Garden Street in Daytona Beach around 3:30 p.m.

Neighbors who were having a Labor Day barbecue said they heard the commotion and witnessed the attack.

"If you would've seen that blood. Oh my God, blood was everywhere," said witness Faye Glenn.

According to investigators, Aisha Gillis, 24, got into a physical fight with her cousin, 20-year-old Donald Heffner, and armed herself with a machete. When Heffner's girlfriend, Brianna Matts, tried to intervene, police said Gillis attacked both of them.

"The girl with the dreads said, 'Oh hell,' and she ran in the home and got the machete," said Glenn. "She came out and was swinging the machete."

Daytona Beach police said Heffner and Matts were struck with the machete during the altercation. They suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were driven to the hospital in a personal vehicle.

"I noticed something was going on down the street and I ran down there and heard the man saying, 'Call 911, call 911,' and I see them fighting for the machete," said another witness, Shawndra Dafnon.

Gillis was taken into custody and charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

WFTV