Exclusive: Victim, good Samaritan speak after slashing at Knicks ticker-tape championship parade
Cellphone videos given to News 12 were too graphic to show Jihad Robinson’s face, after police said the 20-year-old Brooklyn man was slashed during the celebration.
More Stories
In a News 12 exclusive, a victim and a good Samaritan spoke out after an attack at Thursday’s Knicks Championship Parade.
Cellphone videos given to News 12 were too graphic to show Jihad Robinson’s face, after police said the 20-year-old Brooklyn man was slashed during the celebration.
“[The attacker] smacked the bottle over my head, and automatically blood started,” said Robinson.
Robinson said the confrontation started when the attacker touched Robinson's girlfriend, and the victim tried to stop it.
“People are recording me [on their cellphones], putting the camera in my face,” said Robinson. “I’m looking around, I'm panicking, then finally someone came and helped me.”
That someone was 20-year-old Hashim Shah.
The two officially met on Friday after Robinson’s family tracked the good Samaritan down through social media. The special reunion was so surprising that even the News 12 crew did not know that Shah was showing up for the interview.
“I’m looking around and all I see are people recording [on ther phones],” said Shah. No one has the decency to at least help him out.”
Shah, a physical therapist from Queens, jumped in with the assist by using the Jalen Brunson jersey right off his own back.
“Out of instinct, I took off my jersey,” said Shah. “I folded it and immediately went up to [Robinson].”
“He held that jersey to my neck, told me I was going to be OK,” said Robinson.
Hashim said he held the jersey until NYPD officers arrived.
Police said the attack happened shortly before 12 p.m. near 1 Centre St. No arrests have been made.
Both Robbinson and Shah said they were unable to get a good view of the championship parade.
Robinson was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he underwent surgery for about three hours and received more than 40 stitches.
“I didn’t know what to do,” said Robinson. “I felt like I was going to die.”
“Hearing him say that he doesn’t want to die, and he’s asking a complete stranger to help him, really just shook me deep in my heart,” said Shah.
Robinson's uncle, a long-time Knicks fan, presented Shah with an autographed Aaron Afflalo Knicks jersey.
It was a small token of appreciation for the hero who was along the Canyon of Heroes.
“Thank you, God,” said Robinson. “Without him, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
