Airman First Class Spencer Stone, one of the heroes who stopped a massacre on Paris-bound train in France in August, has been seriously stabbed in California.
Stone was transported to a Sacramento-area hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition after being stabbed four times in the chest. An Army spokesperson was quoted by Fox News outlining the situation.
“A1C Spencer Stone has been transported to a local hospital, and is currently being treated for injury. The incident is currently under investigation by local law enforcement.”
It appears, according to a Pentagon official, that Spencer Stone was stabbed in a fight near a bar approximately 12.45 a.m., although full details are still to be determined. Sacramento police gave some detail as to what may have happened.
“It is believed that the victim was out with a group of friends when a physical altercation led to the victim being stabbed.”
The Daily Mail reports that Spencer may have been protecting a friend during the fight, but that hasn’t been confirmed. At first, police were sure that Stone wouldn’t survive his wounds and were opening the investigation as a homicide. However, thus far, he has survived, although, according to CBS Sacramento , he received a stab through the heart and a lung.
According to MSNBC , a man and a woman are being questioned in the attack on Spencer Stone, although police have not released a description of the suspect. It is not being considered a terrorist attack, and alcohol appears to be the main factor.
The LA Times quotes Sacramento Police Officer Traci Trapani who spoke about the incident.
“There’s no motive. It appears to be a random deal.”
The Washington Post reported that Air Force Secretary Deborah James wrote a post on Facebook about the situation involving Spencer Stone.
“His injuries are serious but he is in stable condition. Many of you know that he risked his life weeks ago to save many lives during a French train attack. The circumstances for today’s incident are under investigation by the local law enforcement. Meanwhile, please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Airman First Class Spencer Stone, along with National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler, became heroes when the three men (and a fourth, British citizen) were able to stop a Moroccan gunman, Ayooub El-Khazaani, who had opened fire on the train between Amsterdam and Paris. During that incident, Spencer was stabbed with a box cutter and required surgery to reattach part of his hand. But Stone and the other men were able to subdue the shooter and prevented a major tragedy.
For their heroics, 25-year-old Spencer, along with Alek and Anthony, received the Legion of Honour (the Legion d’Honneur), which is the highest honour to be awarded in France. In the U.S., Stone received the Airman’s medal and a Purple Heart for his bravery and were invited to the White House and met with the President.
So far, in Stone’s military career he was a medic for the 65th Air Base Group in Portugal. He is currently stationed at the Travis Air Force Base in California, according to the Huffington Post .
There has been an outpouring of support for Stone online from all over the world, with many from an appreciative France who still remember his efforts to foil that suspected terrorist attack.
It is wonderful to see so many French people tweet their support for Spencer Stone #solidarité #amitié
— ExMiliMed (@ExMiliMed1) October 8, 2015
Alex Skarlatos, who has found a new calling as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars , and who is, ironically, from Roseburg, Oregon, where 9 students were killed by a gunman, tweeted his support for his friend, Spencer.
Everybody send prayers out to the stone family today — alek skarlatos (@alekskarlatos) October 8, 2015
The situation is still developing as details continue to emerge in the stabbing of Spencer Stone.
[Header photo from Getty Images / Chip Somodevilla ]
