A brave 7-year-old girl named Saida Mashrash recently experienced a terrifying ordeal when an elderly man slashed her throat in Detroit’s Ryan Park. The incident occurred on a Tuesday afternoon while Saida was innocently playing in the park. The man, identified as Gary Lansky, 73, approached her and without warning, pulled out a pocket knife and cut her throat.

Despite the shocking attack, Saida showed incredible courage by fighting back. She kicked Lansky and managed to escape before he could harm her further. Covered in blood, she ran towards her home with her grandmother following closely behind. The neighbors heard her screams and quickly came to her aid, including Donna Mockbil and her son, who comforted the frightened girl.

Saida was rushed to a nearby hospital where she underwent surgery to receive 20 stitches to close the deep wound on her neck. Her mother, Amira Sharhan, expressed gratitude that her daughter survived the brutal attack, describing the cut as incredibly deep. The family and community were left in disbelief as they questioned why Saida was targeted among all the children in the park.

Lansky was apprehended by authorities and is facing charges of assault with intent to murder and felonious assault. His family has suggested that he was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the attack. While the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has not classified the incident as a hate crime, the Michigan chapter of the Council of American Islamic Relations is advocating for further investigation in that regard.

Lansky is currently being held on a $2 million bail and is scheduled for arraignment on October 16th. The community is rallying around Saida, who has shown remarkable resilience in the face of such a traumatic event. Despite the physical and emotional scars, she is back outside playing in the neighborhood, demonstrating her strength and bravery.