British author Salman Rushdie, who was attacked and stabbed in the neck at a literary event on Friday in western New York state, is alive and has been airlifted to safety, said New York’s governor Kathy Hochul. The celebrated author is getting the care he needs at a local hospital, she said, adding the event moderator was attacked as well.
In a statement, police said a male suspect stormed the stage and attacked Rushdie and the interviewer, with the writer suffering “an apparent stab wound to the neck.” Rushdie, whose writings made him the target of Iranian death threats, was taken by helicopter to a local hospital.
Also read | Author Salman Rushdie attacked at New York event: Top points to know
In a tweet, the governor later thanked the New York Police and first responder in the case. “Our thoughts are with Salman & his loved ones following this horrific event. I have directed State Police to further assist however needed in the investigation,” she wrote.
A state trooper assigned to the event at the Chautauqua Institution, where Rushdie was due to give a talk, took the suspect into custody, while the interviewer suffered an injury to the head.
Police gave no details about the suspect’s identity or any probable motive.
Social media footage showed people rushing to Rushdie’s aid and administrating emergency medical care.
“A most horrible event just happened (and) the amphitheater is evacuated,” a witness said on social media.
The Chautauqua Institution — which puts on arts and literary programming in a lakeside community some 70 miles (110km) south of Buffalo — said in a statement that it was coordinating with law enforcement and emergency officials following the attack.
Less time to read?
Try Quickreads
-
Author Salman Rushdie attacked at New York event: Top points to know
Mumbai-born author Salman Rushdie was attacked on a stage on Friday, minutes before he was set to give a lecture during an event in New York, United States. According to the latest information being shared by multiple news agencies, a man stormed the stage as the Mumbai-born author was being introduced by the anchor of the event. He then allegedly “punched and stabbed” Rushdie. His identity has not yet been released.
-
Author Salman Rushdie stabbed at New York event, attacker held
British author Salman Rushdie, whose writings made him the target of Iranian death threats that forced him into hiding, was attacked on stage Friday in western New York state. “A most horrible event just happened at #chautauquainstitution – Salman Rushdie was attacked on stage at #chq2022. The amphitheater is evacuated,” one witness said on social media. Rushdie’s condition was not immediately known.
-
Polio detected in New York’s sewage water, suggests virus circulating
The polio virus has been found in New York City’s wastewater in another sign that the disease, which hadn’t been seen in the U.S. in a decade, is quietly spreading among unvaccinated people, health officials said Friday. State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said the detection of poliovirus in wastewater samples in New York City is alarming but not surprising.
-
Saudi blast suspect kills self with suicide belt: Officials
A suspect in a deadly 2015 Islamic State group attack on a Saudi mosque blew Saudi national Abdullah bin Zayed al-Bakri al-Shehri up while being arrested by security forces in Jeddah this week, Saudi officials said on Friday. Four others were wounded when Saudi national Abdullah bin Zayed al-Bakri al-Shehri set off the explosives belt, the official said. He was one of nine men wanted for the blast that killed 15 people — mostly police — near the Yemen border.
-
Rishi Sunak faces losing battle in race to be UK PM, Liz Truss likely to win
Amid the race for the Conservative party leadership, British Prime Minister hopeful Rishi Sunak has vowed to support the most vulnerable people of the UK amid the rising energy crisis in the country. The Conservative party leadership results are just a few weeks away but it looks like Liz Truss’s victory over Rishi Sunak is imminent. Not only this, independent surveys and polls have shown Truss consistently scoring ahead of Rishi Sunak.