Author Salman Rushdie was too stunned to react after being stabbed on stage, court hears Sir Salman Rushdie was so stunned he didn't try to fight back after a masked man stabbed him on stage, a court has heard.
"It all happened so fast that even the person under attack, Mr Rushdie, and the person sitting next to him, Mr Reese, didn't register what was happening," the prosecutor said.
Mr Schmidt said: "Without hesitation, this man holding his knife […] forcefully and efficiently in its speed, plunged the knife into Mr Rushdie over and over and over again.".
As the opening statements were delivered, district attorney Jason Schmidt described a sudden attack by Matar - saying he bound up a small staircase and burst onto the stage as the event got under way.
Both Sir Salman and fellow speaker Henry Reese - who was also injured - were so stunned by the attack that they initially remained in their seats, the court heard.
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