A suspect has been named in the stabbing of famed writerSalman Rushdie.
The Satanic Versesauthor, 75, wasattackedFriday as he was being introduced at a literary festival at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, per theAssociated Press.
The New York State Police announced in areleasethat the attacker has been identified as 24-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey, and is currently in custody.
Members of the institution’s staff, along with some in the audience, tackled Matar. An onsite trooper and Chautauqua deputy then arrested Matar. A doctor treated Rushdie until EMS got to the scene, police said.
Joshua Goodman/AP
Rushdie was airlifted to a hospital and as of the time of the news conference was in surgery at a local trauma center. Reese has been released from the hospital and is recovering from a facial injury.
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Officials said Matar accessed the building with a pass, just like other attendees in the audience.
RELATED VIDEO: Salman Rushdie Attacked on Stage in New York
Because of threats against his life and million-dollar bounties on his head, Rushdie went into hiding for almost a decade.
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Salman Rushdie.David Levenson/Getty
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 chefPadma Lakshmifrom 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.”
“We can think of no comparable incident of a public attack on a literary writer on American soil,” the statement continued.
The investigation remains ongoing.
source: people.com
