Salman Rushdie, the novelist whose book prompted death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was assassinated Friday as he prepared to deliver a lecture in western New York. Rushdie “suffered an apparent knife wound to the neck and was transferred by helicopter to a local hospital,” according to a statement from state police.
As Rushdie was being presented, an Associated Press reporter saw a guy assault the stage at the Chautauqua Institution and begin hitting him. The 75-year-old author was assaulted or tripped and restrained by the stranger. Rushdie was shortly encircled by a small group of people who held up his legs, apparently to increase the flow of blood to his heart.
Rushdie’s health was unknown at the time.
According to police, the suspect also assaulted an interrogator, who sustained a minor head injury.