Tallahassee commissioner Jack Porter allegedly attacked during confrontation with woman who accused her of stealing a pet cat

Tallahassee, Florida – A confrontation on a quiet Tallahassee street has led to criminal charges after police say a woman physically attacked a city official while accusing her of stealing a pet cat. According to arrest records, the incident involved Jack Porter and a local resident who allegedly confronted her in public last week.

Authorities say Brenda Hicks was arrested last Thursday and charged with battery following the altercation. The encounter unfolded around 6:30 p.m. on 7th Avenue, where Porter told officers she had stopped while riding her bicycle after noticing a cat she believed she had previously rescued.

According to the arrest report, Porter said she got off her bike and began interacting with the animal when Hicks approached her, shouting and accusing her of taking the cat. Investigators say the situation escalated quickly as the two women exchanged words.

Porter told police she tried to disengage from the confrontation by walking back toward her bicycle, but Hicks allegedly blocked her path. What followed, according to the arrest documents, turned into a physical struggle.

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The report states that Hicks allegedly began “pushing her and grabbing her face and hair. During the altercation, the two fell to the ground and Porter said her boyfriend returned in time to separate them.”

Officers who responded to the scene documented visible injuries on Porter. Police noted in their report that Porter had a “scratch that extended from the corner of the right side of her mouth toward her cheek” after the confrontation.

When questioned by officers, Hicks provided a very different account of events. According to the arrest paperwork, she told police that Porter had been “killing her cats by poisoning them and by taking them to the Humane Society.”

Porter strongly denied those claims, telling authorities that harming animals would contradict her personal values. Speaking publicly days later, she reiterated that she would never harm a cat and said she has long been involved in rescuing animals. She also informed police that Hicks had previously made similar accusations against her.

The incident has drawn attention locally due to Porter’s public role as an elected official in Tallahassee. While city leaders have not issued formal statements about the confrontation, the situation has sparked conversations about public safety and the challenges public figures sometimes face during everyday activities.

Court records show Hicks has entered a not guilty plea. As of Friday, she had been released under pre-trial conditions while the case moves forward through the legal process.

Authorities have not indicated whether there were independent witnesses beyond those directly involved, though the police report references Porter’s boyfriend arriving during the struggle and helping separate the two women.

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No information has been released suggesting the dispute involved prior legal complaints between the two individuals, aside from the allegations mentioned in the police report.

For residents in the neighborhood, the incident has been described as unexpected and unsettling. The confrontation occurred in a typically calm residential area, and neighbors reported being surprised to learn that a dispute over a cat had escalated into a physical altercation involving a public official.

The case now heads into the court system, where prosecutors and defense attorneys will present their versions of events. For now, investigators say the arrest was based on physical evidence, witness accounts, and statements gathered at the scene.

As proceedings continue, the incident stands as a reminder of how quickly everyday encounters can spiral into conflict — even in routine situations like stopping to interact with a neighborhood pet.