New York - Friday, August 12, 2022.
World-renowned Indian-born author Salman Rushdie was attacked Friday morning by a man who rushed to stage where the author was about to speak, New York Police said. The 75-year old author was attending a lecture series at the Chautauqua Institution as guest speaker when a male suspect rushed to the stage and attacked him as an interviewer at approximate 11 a.m. ET. Rushdie sustained stab wound in his neck and rushed to local hospital by a helicopter.
The suspect was immediately taken into custody whose name was withheld, sustained minor head injury, police said.
Rushdie's condition at this time in unknown according to the police.
A tweet from Chautauqua Institution also indicates that there was other victim, Henry Reese, co-founder of the City of Asylum, a residency program for writers in exile.
"We ask for your prayers for Salman Rushdie and Henry Reese and patience as we fully focus on coordinating with police officials following a tragic incident at the Amphitheater today", the institution said.
Rushdie was visiting the institution to discuss with Reese how the United States serves as asylum for writers in exile, according to the Chautauqua Institution's event page.
Rushdie wrote 14 novels, including The Satanic Verses, one of the most popular books that resulted to death threats against him from Iran's leader in the 1980's.
As a writer, he was long championed the importance of freedom and expression. He served as President of PEN America between 2004 and 2006. He became Chairman of PEN World Voices Literary Festival for 10 years.
In a statement by PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel, the organization was shocked to learn the attacked. Rushdie just emailed her few hours before the attack to help writers from Ukraine seeking asylum.
Salman Rushdie has been targeted for his words for decades but has never flinched nor faltered," Nossel said. "He has devoted tireless energy to assisting others who are vulnerable and menaced."
