Stabbing of Spencer Stone

Spencer Stone, a United States Air Force senior airman, was stabbed on October 8, 2015, in downtown Sacramento, California. Stone was stabbed by a 28-year-old California man, James Tran. The event received considerable attention in the U.S., in part because Stone had helped stop a gunman on a Paris-bound train traveling from Amsterdam via Brussels two months earlier in August 2015.

Stabbing of Spencer Stone
DateOctober 8, 2015 (2015-10-08)
Timec. 12:45 AM PST
Location21st & K Street, Downtown Sacramento, California, U.S.
TypeStabbing
Non-fatal injuries2
Arrests1
ConvictedJames Tran
TrialMarch 15, 2017

Background
Stone in 2015.
Main article: 2015 Thalys train attack
See also: Spencer Stone § International recognition

Two months prior to the initial confrontation, Spencer Stone, a then-United States Air Force senior airman, along with his friends Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler, stopped a gunman on a Paris-bound train travelling from Amsterdam via Brussels in August 2015.[1] Stone was serving at the United States Air Force 65th Air Base Group at the time of the event. A 25-year-old Moroccan man, believed to be Ayoub El-Khazzani,[2] was in train car No. 12, armed with an AKM assault rifle and equipped with 270 rounds of ammunition.[3] After being instructed by Skarlatos, Stone tackled the armed suspect, and was stabbed in the neck and eyebrow and almost lost his thumb.[4] The event and its aftermath received attention in the U.S. and abroad, with Stone gaining international attention and recognized by U.S. Ambassador to France Jane D. Hartley for "his actions in saving countless lives", U.S. President Barack Obama, with a ceremony held at The Pentagon to honor Stone, Skarlatos and Sadler. Stone was honored with the Airman's Medal and a Purple Heart, among other decorations and awards.[5]

Incident
James Tran
Tran in 2015.
Biographical data
Born1986/1987 (age 32–33)
NationalityAmerican
Criminal charge(s)Attempted murder
Criminal penaltyNine year-sentence
Criminal statusIncarcerated at Folsom State Prison[6]

During the dawn of October 8, 2015, Spencer Stone along with one male and three female friends, were exploring nightlife activities in downtown Sacramento.[7] Shortly after visiting the Badlands Dance Club, Stone's group was near 21st and K streets when a member of a group, among them including James Tran, used a cell phone to take video of women in Stone's group.[8] "There was a dispute that led to the altercation," Deputy Police Chief Ken Bernard said.[7] There was a verbal argument which subsided and both groups began going on their separate ways. Tran, however, then engaged Stone again, and, "it escalated from there into a physical fight," Sacramento Police Chief Sam Somers Jr. stated.[8]

At around 12:45 am, Tran then circled behind Stone and stabbed him multiple times in the back and torso with a knife that had been concealed on Tran's person. After the stabbing, Tran and his group fled the scene in a 2009-2012 dark Toyota Camry.[7][8] A woman who was with Stone was also involved in the altercation, according to eye witness taxi driver Kennedy Hailemariam who pulled up to the intersection where the fight took place. "She tried to protect him too, but she got hit too," Hailemariam said to CBS-13. "Like you know, big punch, like boom."[7]

Stone's companions and bystanders summoned emergency services. First responders recognized the seriousness of Stone's injuries, and rushed him to University of California Davis Medical Center (UCDMC). On arrival, medical staff determined that Stone had sustained multiple life-threatening injuries, and underwent emergency open heart surgery to repair wounds to his lungs, liver, and heart.[9][8]

Stone recovered, and was released from UCDMC on October 15, a week after he was stabbed. Sacramento Police detectives were assigned to the case shortly after the initial stabbing. Along with video obtained of the assault; eyewitness statements; and tips from the public, detectives determined the identity of the assailant, and an arrest warrant was issued for Tran. On November 4, 2015, Tran was arrested without incident, after detectives, uniformed officers, and deputies from the Sacramento Police Department, Elk Grove Police Department, and Sacramento County Sheriff's Department conducted a traffic stop near his home in Elk Grove, California. Law enforcement officials involved in the case said that it did not appear Tran or anyone in his group knew of Stone's publicity. Officials also stated that the crime did not appear to be a retaliatory strike by a terrorist organization (either directly or indirectly) against Stone for his part in foiling a terror attack.[8] Law enforcement officials stated that Tran has previous felony convictions, and that Tran was most likely intoxicated at the time of the assault.[10]

Trial

Tran made his first appearance in Sacramento County Superior Court on November 6, 2015, charged of the attempted murder of Stone with an allegation of using a dangerous weapon, a knife. He did not enter a plea, was ordered to be held without bail, and was scheduled to return to court December 1, 2015.[11] On December 1, 2015, Tran again appeared in the Sacramento Superior Court for a bail review hearing. This was subsequently postponed, with Tran held without bail.[12]

On January 7, 2016, Tran was again denied bail, and another preliminary hearing was set for February 26, 2016. At the February 26th hearing, Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Anthony Ortiz informed Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Goodman that his department plans to amend the original criminal charges against Tran, to include gang involvement in the assault. A gang involvement charge in California provides for additional penalties if the defendant is found guilty. Judge Goodman ordered another hearing to be held on March 30, 2016, to determine whether or not prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed with the charges against Tran.[13]

Tran plead guilty and on May 12, 2017 was sentenced to nine years in state prison.[14] He is currently incarcerated at Folsom State Prison with a scheduled release date of December 2021. That could be sooner with good time credit, or later, if he was to be found guilty of behavioral problems while incarcerated.[15]

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See also

References
  1. Sangree, Hudson (23 August 2015). "Carmichael childhood, faith unite friends who stopped train attack". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  2. Barrett, David. "Revealed: The mystery man who tackled AK-47 assault rifle from train gunman". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  3. Gary, Melissa; Meilhan, Pierre (22 August 2015). "French train suspect carried two guns, lots of ammo". CNN. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  4. Trayner, David (23 August 2015). "Heroic airman on France train was napping when gunman attacked". The Independent. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  5. "Obama lauds 'train heroes' at White House". Yahoo! News. Washington, DC. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  6. "James Tran". California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  7. St. John, Paige; Mai-Duc, Christine; Megerian, Chris (8 October 2015). "France train attack hero Spencer Stone recovering after stabbing in Sacramento". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  8. Helsel, Phil; Blankstein, Andrew (4 November 2015). "Arrest Made in Stabbing of Train-Attack Hero Spencer Stone". NBC News. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  9. "Sacramento police arrest suspect in stabbing of Spencer Stone". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  10. Adams, Char (5 November 2015). "Alleged Gang Member Arrested for Alleged Attempted Murder of French Train Attack Hero Spencer Stone". People. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  11. Smith, Darrell; Sangree, Hudson. "Man accused of stabbing French train hero Spencer Stone arraigned". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  12. Smith, Darrell (1 December 2015). "January court date for man in Spencer Stone knife attack". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  13. Smith, Darrell (26 February 2016). "March preliminary hearing set in Spencer Stone stabbing case". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  14. Thomspon, Don (12 May 2017). "Sacramento man sentenced to prison after stabbing Spencer Stone". KCRA. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  15. CDCR inmate locator, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
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