On Saturday, March 25, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul revealed that a member of his staff had been brutally attacked in the middle of the day on H Street in Washington, DC.

In addition to sharing the news that a suspect had been apprehended, Senator Paul asked for prayers for the full and speedy recovery of his aide.

Phillip Todd, a 26-year-old employee, was stabbed in the head and chest and required surgery. He claimed to be unfamiliar with his assailant.

The employee was stabbed multiple times, and the wounds were described by the Metropolitan Police Department as life-threatening.

Glynn Neal, 42, was arrested after the attack on Saturday. One day before the attack, he was reportedly released from prison. In 2011, he was given a 12-year prison term for his involvement in a prostitution case.

According to Todd’s parents Chuck and Helen, their son was “randomly and brutally attacked by a person armed with a knife, who, according to the police report, attempted to kill him. The intervention of our son’s friend helped prevent the wounds from being fatal.” Todd’s friend helped push the suspect off of him and they were able to get away. 

Todd suffered an internal brain bleed and a punctured lung in the stabbing, as well as a laceration of his left ear. 

Police were able to connect the suspect Neal to a cellphone found at the scene and a bloody knife found in the area.