Teen Arrested After Attacking Teacher, Making Grab for Deputy’s Gun at Gardendale School
By Space Coast Daily // November 5, 2025
Sheriff: Violent Student to Be Permanently Barred From Brevard Campuses
WATCH: A 15-year-old student was taken into custody Tuesday after allegedly attacking a teacher and then a school resource deputy at Gardendale Separate Day School, according to Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – A 15-year-old student was taken into custody Tuesday after allegedly attacking a teacher and then a school resource deputy at Gardendale Separate Day School, according to Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
In a statement released Wednesday, Sheriff Ivey identified the student as Malachi Hudak and described the incident as “absolutely unacceptable,” emphasizing his commitment to ensuring the student is permanently barred from all Brevard County school campuses.
According to Sheriff Ivey, Hudak physically assaulted a teacher during an altercation on campus.
The School Resource Deputy assigned to Gardendale intervened to stop the attack and attempted to detain the student. Sheriff Ivey said the situation escalated when Hudak allegedly tried to assault the deputy and attempted to grab his service weapon.
“Deputy Genova did a great job getting him into custody and preventing the situation from becoming even more violent,” Ivey said. “Our teachers and deputies do not deserve to be attacked. They’re there to protect and educate our children, not to be targets of violence.”
Hudak was taken into custody without further incident. No serious injuries were reported.
Sheriff Ivey said that this was not the student’s first violent encounter at a school, saying that Hudak has a documented history of attacking teachers and students in another county.
“What makes me even angrier is that this isn’t the first time,” Ivey said. “He’s done this before — attacked teachers and students elsewhere — and yet somehow he was still allowed in a classroom, where he attacked again.”
Ivey said he is working closely with Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell to ensure that Hudak is permanently removed from all county school campuses.
“Our teachers don’t deserve this. The students who come to school to learn don’t deserve to have their education disrupted by someone who is violent,” Ivey said. “We are not going to tolerate anyone attacking our educators or our deputies in Brevard County.”
The sheriff added that the student will remain in custody as the investigation continues and emphasized that his office will take every step necessary to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“This young man is exactly where he belongs right now — locked up where he can’t attack anyone else,” Ivey said. “He doesn’t deserve to be in school with all the great kids who are there to learn.”
