Kemar Downer, a 40-year-old Sayle's Seafood delivery worker, was arraigned Wednesday in Nantucket District Court on two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, following a stabbing near the Steamship Authority ferry terminal on South Beach Street. His attorney, Rob Moriarty, told Fox News Digital that police surveillance footage corroborates Downer's account of the encounter — that he was attacked from behind before a knife was drawn. The altercation unfolded Tuesday morning in the heart of downtown Nantucket as the island moves into its busiest stretch of the summer calendar.
What the Video Shows, According to Defense Counsel
Moriarty described the footage as depicting the alleged victim, identified as a Reis Trucking employee and characterized as physically larger than Downer, approaching from behind and striking Downer repeatedly in the back of the head. According to the attorney, the punches knocked Downer into a nearby object before the alleged victim followed with several kicks. Moriarty said the knife appeared only after the kicking began, and called the footage evidence of "complete and total self-defense."
A police report cited by The Inquirer and Mirror offered consistent detail from Downer's own account to investigators: he said he was delivering juice to The Juice Bar when the attack began, did not initially recognize his assailant, and swung a pocketknife two or three times after being knocked forward and kicked. Moriarty noted the two men were from the same parish in Jamaica, despite Downer telling police he did not know the man.
Injuries, Bail Conditions, and a Procedural Dispute
The alleged victim suffered injuries that sources believe included a punctured lung, along with a 2.5-inch laceration to the left arm likely to require surgery and leave permanent scarring. After the stabbing, the injured man ran toward the Broad Street commercial strip before returning to his truck, where bystanders assisted him. He was treated on scene before being transported to Nantucket Cottage Hospital.
Downer was located by Nantucket Police Sgt. Travis Ray sitting on the sidewalk nearby and was placed under arrest. He was released Wednesday on $2,500 bail, ordered to wear a GPS tracking device, maintain a minimum 25-yard distance from the alleged victim's residence, and have no contact with him.
Moriarty raised a separate procedural objection, arguing Downer should not have been held overnight given the availability of a Tuesday arraignment. "Nantucket police essentially decided they were not going to abide by the Constitution," he said, as quoted by The Inquirer and Mirror.
Context: Peak Season on a High-Profile Island
South Beach Street, where the stabbing occurred, sits between Broad Street and Oak Street — a corridor that absorbs a surge of foot traffic each summer as ferry passengers from the Steamship Authority terminal disperse into Nantucket's downtown. The incident drew sharp attention in a community whose year-round population swells significantly during summer months with vacationers, seasonal workers, and affluent second-home owners. A witness separately told police that Downer entered The Juice Bar after the altercation seeking a second knife; employees intervened and removed a 10- to 12-inch kitchen knife before he left.