Salman Rushdie attacked: Hit '10-15 times' in 20 secs, author on ventilator; likely to lose eye, liver damaged

Salman Rushdie was on a ventilator, will likely lose one eye and his liver was "stabbed and damaged" following an attack on him on Friday, his agent said, noting that the "news is not good". 

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.

Following the attack just before 11:00 am local time Rushdie had been airlifted to the hospital where he needed emergency surgery, and his agent said in a statement that "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," said agent Andrew Wylie, who added that as of now Rushdie cannot speak.

New York state police identified the suspect involved in Friday morning's attack as Hadi Matar, a 24-year-old from Fairfield, New Jersey. A probable motive remained unclear.

Police said Rushdie was stabbed in the neck as well as the abdomen. A number of people rushed to the stage and took the suspect to the ground, before a trooper present at the event arrested him.

A doctor in the audience administered medical care until emergency first responders arrived. An interviewer onstage, 73-year-old Ralph Henry Reese, suffered a facial injury but has been released from the hospital, police said.

The attack occurred at the Chautauqua Institution, which hosts arts programs in a tranquil lakeside community 70 miles (110 kilometers) south of Buffalo city.