A 7-year-old girl is recovering after a terrifying knife attack at a Detroit park earlier this week. The incident took place on Tuesday afternoon at Ryan Park, located near Greenview and Kirkwood avenues. Saida M., the young girl at the center of the attack, spoke to 7 News Detroit with permission from her mother.
Saida was playing at the park with a family member when a man suddenly approached and attacked her. “I was playing on a spinning thing that was green … and I was playing … and then I saw like a man, and I said, like, hi to him. And he … was coming towards me, and he was … walking to me like that. And one hand was nothing.
And he just put my head up. The other thing was a pocket knife. And then he just slid the knife on my throat,” Saida explained. “I kicked his legs medium hard.” Her quick thinking and courage helped her escape. According to police, after kicking the suspect, Saida screamed for help and managed to run away. “She did what she should have done,” said Detroit Police Cmdr. Vernal Newson.
Neighbors, alerted by her screams, quickly rushed to her aid. Donna Mockbil, a neighbor, recalled her immediate response: “I just immediately … grabbed some gauze pads, and put them on her … to help her and help her stop bleeding.” Donna continued, “She goes, ‘Oh I’m going to die and nobody is going to be here with me,’ and I started getting tears in my eyes.”
Donna’s son also played a vital role, chasing after the suspect until he was caught. The suspect, 73-year-old Gary Lanksy, was apprehended without incident. He has since been charged by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office with Assault with Intent to Murder and Felonious Assault, according to the ABC affiliate WXYZ.
Detroit police do not believe the attack was a hate crime. According to Cmdr. Newson, “We believe the suspect was experiencing a mental crisis at the time of the attack.” He added, “In my 40 years of policing … mental health has become one of the forefront issues in our community.”
After receiving stitches, Saida was released from the hospital and is now recovering at home. Despite the trauma, her bravery in the face of danger has undoubtedly played a key role in ensuring her survival.