Author Salman Rushdie was on a ventilator, will likely lose one eye and his liver was "stabbed and damaged" following an attack on him.The New York Times (NYT) reported that according to Rushdie's agent, Andrew Wylie, the Mumbai-born controversial author was on a ventilator and could not speak."The news is not good. Salman will likely lose one eye, the nerves in his arm were severed and his liver was stabbed and damaged," Wylie said in a statement to NYT.Rushdie, who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing "The Satanic Verses", was stabbed by a 24-year-old New Jersey resident at an event in western New York State.
Hadi Matar (24) from Fairview, New Jersey has been identified as the suspect who stabbed Rushdie, Major Eugene Staniszewski of the New York State Police told a press conference on Friday evening.Rushdie (75) was stabbed in the neck as he was on the stage at the Chautauqua Institution, a not-for-profit community on Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, where approximately 7,500 people are in residence on any day during a nine-week season.Staniszewski said Rushdie was provided medical treatment by a doctor who was in the audience until emergency medical personnel arrived on the scene. "The doctor immediately began first aid" on Rushdie. The author was then airlifted to a local trauma centre and was "undergoing surgery" at about 5 pm local time, several hours after the attack that occurred at approximately 10:47 am. Replying to a question about Matar's nationality, Staniszewski said, "I don't know yet."Asked how would he describe Rushdie's condition, Staniszewski said, "We are trying to get an update and it is something that we are watching closely."He said authorities are in the "process of obtaining search warrants for various items. There was a backpack located at the scene. There was also electronic devices". He added that at the moment, it is assumed that the suspect was "working alone".