DETROIT – The family of an 8-year-old Arab American girl who survived a throat-slashing attack at a Detroit park has filed a $50 million civil lawsuit against the alleged attacker, as the child continues to grapple with trauma from the incident.
Saida Mashrah was seven years old when she was attacked last October at Ryan Park in Detroit near Dearborn.
The suspect, 74-year-old Gary Lansky, allegedly lifted the girl’s chin and slashed her throat with a pocketknife before attempting to stab her stomach.
When the girl fought him off, he allegedly turned his attention to her grandmother, who escaped being injured when bystanders intervened.
“When I sleep, I feel like the guy is coming back for me, and I feel like when I wake up, I feel like someone is trying to break into our house,” Mashrah said, describing her ongoing nightmares. “Sometimes I get so scared that I have to take a break with a teacher.”
Attorneys from Ayad Law filed the civil lawsuit against Lansky, who remains in custody on a $2 million bond.
“We don’t know what types of assets this individual may have, but I can assure you that for every dollar that he possibly has, we will make sure that we take that away from him,” said attorney Nabih Ayad. “This person deserves to rot in hell and rot in jail.”
Lansky faces criminal charges of assault with intent to murder and felonious assault.
Police believe he suffers from mental illnesses.
While the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office initially found insufficient evidence to support hate crime charges, the Arab American Civil Rights League has strongly advocated for the charges to be added.
“This type of behavior is on the rise, and I think the only way that we as a community and a country can stop it is to make sure that people are held accountable,” said Nasser Beydoun with the Arab-American Civil Rights League.
Lansky is scheduled for another court hearing this week. His trial is set for next month.