Detroit man arrested for slashing Yemeni-American girl's neck

A 73-year-old man from Detroit has been arrested following a disturbing incident in which he slashed the throat of 7-year-old Saida M. at Ryan Park earlier this week.

Gary Lansky faces charges of assault with intent to murder and felonious assault, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

The attack occurred on Tuesday while the young victim, identified as a Yemeni-American Muslim girl, was playing at the park near her home, as reported by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

According to Detroit police, Lansky approached the girl and attacked her with a knife before fleeing the scene. Officers responded to a call at approximately 3:45 PM and discovered the girl with a significant neck laceration.

Fortunately, she received prompt medical attention at a nearby hospital and was discharged later that same day.

Saida, who was with a family member at the park, was playing when a man approached and randomly attacked her.

“I was playing on a spinning thing that was green… and I was playing… and then I saw a man, and I said hi to him. And he… was coming towards me," she told WXYZ-TV. "And he just put my head up. The other thing was a pocket knife. And then he just slide the knife on my throat."

CAIR urged local law enforcement to thoroughly investigate the incident for potential hate crime motives, describing the attack as "a senseless act of violence" that will have lasting effects on the child, her family, and other children present in the park.

While CAIR calls for a deeper inquiry, a spokesperson for the Detroit Police Department stated that their investigation has concluded and the case has been referred to the prosecutor’s office. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Maria Miller noted that there is currently no evidence supporting the addition of hate crime charges.

Lansky was arraigned on Thursday in the 36th District Court and was subsequently released on a USD 2 million bond. He is now under house arrest with a GPS tracking device.

A bond redetermination hearing is scheduled for Monday, followed by a probable cause conference on Wednesday, according to the prosecutor's office.