A man previously thought to be harmless — as he was a disabled artist who sold his canvases in Miami's touristy South Beach, has been charged with stabbing a Chicago tourist.

Even stranger is the fact that the accused, who is also homeless, has no arms.

But Miami Beach police say 46-year-old Jonathan Crenshaw held a pair of scissors with his feet and stabbed 22-year-old Cesar Coronado just after midnight early Tuesday.

The Miami Herald reports that Crenshaw is a popular fixture in the area, known for painting on canvases along a trendy spot in South Beach.

According to the arrest report, Crenshaw says he was lying down when Coronado approached him and punched him in the head. Police say Crenshaw stabbed Coronado twice and fled.

A friend who was travelling with Coronado said they asked Crenshaw for directions when he suddenly jumped up and stabbed Coronado in his arm.

He was taken to the hospital.

Crenshaw has been charged with aggravated battery.