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Spencer Stone: Train Terrorist Attack Hero Was Defending Stranger When He Was Stabbed This Week, Witness Claims

By Nathan Francis
Published on: 16:06 PST, Oct 9, 2015

Spencer Stone may have just placed his life on the line for a stranger — again.

The hero who was nearly killed in thwarting a terrorist attack on a Frenach train earlier this summer was stabbed this week in Sacramento, with witnesses saying he was once again trying to protect a stranger.

The U.S. Airman was stabbed on a Sacramento street in the early morning hours on Thursday after what appears to have been a confrontation with a group of people outside of a bar. A spokesman for U.C. Davis Medical Center said Spencer Stone was brought in with three stab wounds to his torso, ABC 10 reported.

Now witnesses are shedding more light on the incident, saying that Spencer Stone again appears to be a hero.

Eric Cain, who works at a liquor store near the scene of the fight, said Stone appeared to be trying to save a woman who was in danger and may have been struck by a member of the other group.

“A big group was walking down the street and they went into the intersection,” Cain told People magazine. “One of the guys hit one of the girls and the guy who turned out to be Spencer Stone went after that guy. It happened really quickly.”

Cain added that the woman did not appear to be with Spencer Stone, and still left with the attackers afterward.

“They were all walking together from the direction of Badlands [a nightclub in the area],” he says. “Then the argument happened. The strange thing was that Spencer stuck up for the girl after she got hit and then that girl left with them [the men the police are going after].”

Spencer Stone gained international fame this summer when he took action to thwart a terrorist attack on a train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris. Stone rushed the gunman, and along with four other men disabled the attacker.

In the process Stone suffered several slash wounds from a blade the man was carrying, including a cut that nearly severed his thumb, CNN noted. Despite his deep wounds, Stone turned his attention to another victim who had his throat slashed, with Stone applying pressure to stop the victim’s bleeding.

Even the other men who helped stop the attack said that Stone put himself the most at risk.

“If anybody would have gotten shot, it would have been Spencer for sure, and we’re very lucky that nobody got killed, especially Spencer,” said Alek Skarlatos.

The men who stopped the attack were later given the Legion of Honor, the highest honor given in France.

Police said the attack in Sacramento was not related to Stone’s heroics earlier this year, with Police Chief Ken Bernard saying it was “a very unfortunate altercation between two groups of folks who were enjoying the nightlife in Midtown Sacramento.” Cain added that he did not know Stone was the hero from this summer’s attempted terrorist attack, and said he did not believe the attackers did either.

Police are now looking for help in finding the attackers. They released a statement saying they were looking for two Asian men who were wearing white T-shirts and blue jeans. Police believe the men fled the scene in a Toyota Camry.

Spencer Stone was taken to a nearby hospital, and was initially listed in serious condition after the stabbing. Doctors say he is expected to make a full recovery.

[Picture by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]

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