Video Emerges of Salman Rushdie Being Stabbed on Stage — His Agent Gives Health Update

Salman Rushdie, 75, who has lived for decades under threat of death by Islamist radicals including Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini for authoring The Satanic Verses in 1988, was stabbed on stage at an appearance in Chautauqua, New York Friday morning. The attacker was detained at the scene.

Author Salman Rushdie was hospitalized Friday after being attacked at a speaking event in New York state.

At around 11 a.m., a man “ran up onto the stage and attacked Rushdie and an interviewer,” according to New York State Police.

Rushdie was stabbed at least once in the neck and abdomen and was transported by helicopter to a trauma center in Erie, Pennsylvania, police said.

Video of the attack:

NOW – Salman Rushdie is stabbed on stage in New York.pic.twitter.com/qFmYE6BC5E

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 12, 2022

Author Salman Rushdie was attacked at a speaking event in Chautauqua, N.Y., on Friday by a man who stormed the stage and stabbed the writer in the neck, police said. https://t.co/PQqhVSFKkq pic.twitter.com/4QwIUzi3Jx

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 12, 2022

There is a new video of Rushdie being carried to the helicopter on a stretcher.

It does not look good.

Traslado del escritor Salman Rushdie, apuñalado de gravedad en el cuello, a un hospital del estado de Nueva York. pic.twitter.com/5loQppFNjO

— Vallekana 🎈 (@maryblondiex) August 12, 2022

There has been an Iranian-based bounty for Rushdie’s death of over $3 million reported Fox News.

Rushdie’s book “The Satanic Verses” has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it to be blasphemous. A year later, Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie’s death.

Iran has also offered over $3 million in reward for anyone who kills Rushdie.

Iran’s government has long since distanced itself from Khomeini’s decree, but anti-Rushdie sentiment lingered. In 2012, a semi-official Iranian religious foundation raised the bounty for Rushdie from $2.8 million to $3.3 million.

Photos posted from the scene show the alleged attacker. Rushdie reportedly was able to walk after the attack but was later seen being evacuated on a gurney to a waiting helicopter.

“Author Salman Rushdie was stabbed after taking stage at a Chautauqua Institute event. He received aid on-site and was able to eventually walk off stage with assistance. This man has been detained by police.-#NYPD”

Author Salman Rushdie was stabbed after taking stage at a Chautauqua Institute event. He received aid on-site and was able to eventually walk off stage with assistance.

This man has been detained by police.-#NYPD#SalmanRushdie #Newyork pic.twitter.com/Pw9eLOEp6h

— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) August 12, 2022

Update:

Police identified the suspect as Hadi Matar, 24, in a news release distributed hours after the Indian-born author’s knifing.

Salman Rushdie is on a ventilator, cannot speak, and will likely lose an eye, after being stabbed up to 15 times on Friday by a suspect police identified as a man from New Jersey ‘with sympathies toward Iranian government.’

Rushdie’s condition was updated by his agent Andrew Wylie shortly before 7 p.m. on Friday, hours after the novelist was repeatedly stabbed by Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey, as he was about to give a speech at a literary event in upstate New York.

‘The news is not good,’ Wylie said in a statement. ‘Salman will likely lose one eye; the nerves in his arm were severed; and his liver was stabbed and damaged.’