“The Satanic Verses” authorSalman Rushdiewas attacked Friday in Chautauqua, New York.
TheAssociated Pressreported that Rushdie was being introduced at a literary festival at Chautauqua Institution when a man dashed onto a lecture stage and attacked him.
A male suspect attacked Rushdie and an interviewer — who suffered a minor head injury — on stage, according to a press release from state police.
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According to The New York Times, audience member Rita Landman walked on stage after the attack to offer assistance. “She said that Mr. Rushdie had multiple stab wounds, including one to the right side of his neck, and that there was a pool of blood under his body. But she said he appeared to be alive and was not receiving CPR.”
Joshua Goodman/AP
Because of threats against his life and million-dollar bounties on his head, Rushdie went into hiding for almost a decade.
Rushdie was married at the time to author Marianne Wiggins; they divorced shortly after. Rushdie has been married three other times; first to Clarissa Luard, third to Elizabeth West and most recently to author and chef Padma Lakshmi from 2004 to 2007.
Rushdie is the former president of PEN America.In a statement after the attack, CEO Suzanne Nossel said, “PEN America is reeling from shock and horror at the word of a brutal, premeditated attack on our former President and stalwart ally, Salman Rushdie.”
Salman Rushdie.David Levenson/Getty
“We can think of no comparable incident of a public attack on a literary writer on American soil,” the statement continued.
source: people.com
