 "French train attack hero stabbed in California: officials")
One of three Americans who recently helped thwart a terror attack on a packed train bound for Paris has been stabbed in his home state of California but is expected to survive, authorities said today.
A US Air Force spokesman confirmed that 23-year-old Airman Spencer Stone had been stabbed in Sacramento and taken to a local hospital.
"He is in stable condition," Lieutenant Colonel Chris Karns told AFP. "We are still trying to get the details."
Officer Traci Trapani, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento police department, told AFP that police received a call at 12:46 am about a person who had been stabbed outside a bar in the city's downtown area.
"The victim had sustained multiple stab wounds in his upper torso or upper body but he is in stable condition and is expected to survive," Trapani said, adding that the suspect had fled the scene.
She said it was unclear what prompted the fight and that Stone was the only victim.
Sacramento police tweeted that the assault was "not related to a terrorist act," seemingly ruling out a revenge attack over the train incident.
"Assault occurred near a bar, alcohol is believed to be a factor," police said on Twitter.
Just weeks ago, the town of Sacramento staged a parade in honor of the trio of friends whose actions stopped a massacre.
Stone suffered deep slash wounds as he helped to overpower a heavily-armed gunman, 25-year-old Moroccan Ayoub El Khazzani, in the train attack on August 21.
