A homeless beach artist with no arms has been charged with stabbing a tourist in Florida.

Jonathan Crenshaw, who paints pictures with his feet and weighs around 90lbs, was arrested in Miami Beach for allegedly stabbing a tourist from Chicago with a pair of scissors.

The Florida native clutched the scissors with his feet and knifed 22-year-old Cesar Coronado twice before running away, according to the arrest report.

Crenshaw, 46, told police he was lying down when the tourist approached him and punched him in the head.

Mr Coronado told investigators he had stopped to ask Crenshaw for directions before he jumped up and stabbed him.


After the attack, Crenshaw is alleged to have put the scissors back into his waistband and quickly left the area.

Police found Mr Coronado bleeding from his left arm and he was taken to hospital for treatment, the Miami Herald reported.

It noted that Crenshaw is a popular fixture in the area and is known for painting canvases along a trendy spot in the neighbourhood of South Beach in the city of Miami Beach.

Cindy Barrientos, who was travelling with Mr Coronado, described the attacker as a homeless man with no arms to officers.

He was found a short distance away and arrested after midnight on Tuesday.

Crenshaw, who has been charged with aggravated battery, has a court date on 18 July.

His arrest record includes offences dating back to 2008 for trespassing, disorderly intoxication, vandalism and battery on police officers among others.

He once told the Miami New Times that he impregnated many women, including pop singer Gloria Estefan, who he said gave birth to 200 of his children.