Connect with us

Detroit, MI

Family of girl whose throat was slashed in Detroit park files $50M lawsuit

Published

on

Family of girl whose throat was slashed in Detroit park files M lawsuit


Saida Mashrah said her sleep is still filled with nightmares and she’s fearful when strangers walk past her house more than a year after police said a strange man slashed her throat while she played in a Detroit park.

“Sometimes (at school) I get scared and have to take a break with a teacher,” the soft-spoken 8-year-old said Wednesday.

Saida joined attorneys for her family during a press conference where they announced the recent filing of a $50 million civil suit against the suspect, 74-year-old Gary Lansky.

“We don’t know what types of assets … (Lansky) may have but I can assure you for every dollar that he has we want to take that away from him,” said Nabih Ayad, counsel for Saida’s family. “This person deserves to rot in hell and rot in jail.”

Advertisement

Authorities said that Saida and four other children were playing in Ryan Park, near the Dearborn border in east Detroit, on Oct. 8, 2024. Lansky, of Detroit, allegedly approached Saida, grabbed her head, tilted it back and slashed her throat. Saida kicked him and escaped.

While she has fully recovered from the physical injuries, Ayad said the young girl will likely always carry with her the trauma she endured that day.

“Forever she will be haunted by this, traumatized by this and is currently seeking therapy and probably will for the rest of her life,” he said.

Lansky has been charged with assault with intent to murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. Ayad said Lansky is currently in the process of being evaluated for competency to stand trial. Online records show he remains behind bars at the Wayne County Jail, held on a $2 million bond.

An attorney for Lansky did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Advertisement

Following the alleged attack last year, advocates called on state and federal authorities to prosecute the case as a hate crime. Ayad believes Lansky, who is White, specifically targeted Saida based on her race. She was the only Arab American girl in the park that day, he said; all other children were Black.

After Saida ran away from her attacker, Lansky then approached the girl’s grandmother, who was in the park with her, Ayad said. The older woman was wearing a hijab, making her a target for a hate-based attack, advocates said. Lansky allegedly fled the scene after Saida and other children began to scream.

“My daughter still smiles sometimes but it’s not the same smile. It’s the kind of smile that hides tears,” Saida’s mother, Amirah Sharan, said in a statement read by attorney William Savage during Wednesday’s press conference. “… As a mother, it’s the worst pain imaginable to see your child hurt and know there’s nothing you can do about it.”

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

@max_detroitnews

Advertisement



Source link

Detroit, MI

Detroit Zoo welcomes Nguvu the giraffe from Utah

Published

on

Detroit Zoo welcomes Nguvu the giraffe from Utah



The Detroit Zoo welcomed a new giraffe, Nguvu, to the herd, officials announced on Wednesday.

Officials say 1-year-old Nguvu came from Utah’s Hogle Zoo as part of the zoo’s “long-term plan for the giraffe herd.”

“This move was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Giraffe Species Survival Plan, which promotes the health, genetic diversity and overall sustainability of giraffe populations in zoos – and we’re eager to support Nguvu as he adjusts to his new home,” the Detroit Zoo says.

Advertisement

Detroit Zoo


Officials say Nguvu has been working with the animal care teams for several days and will be introduced to the herd soon.

According to Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Nguvu was born in February 2025. His name means “strength” in Swahili.

Advertisement



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Detroit, MI

Lions-Patriots scheduled for Week 10 in Munich

Published

on

Lions-Patriots scheduled for Week 10 in Munich


The Detroit Lions are taking part in the NFL’s International series for the first time since 2015 by hosting the AFC Champion New England Patriots Week 10 in Munich at Allianz Arena on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local time in Germany) on FOX.

The Patriots represented the AFC in the Super Bowl this past February after a 14-3 season and their 22nd AFC East title. They beat the Los Angeles Chargers (16-3), Houston Texans (28-16) and Denver Broncos (10-7) in the playoffs to earn their 12th Super Bowl appearance, which they lost to Seattle (29-13).

Patriots QB Drake Maye is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL entering his third season and New England’s defense is coming off a 2025 season in which they ranked fourth in points allowed (18.8) and eighth in total defense (295.2).

This is the second of Detroit’s 2026 matchups to be announced early (Week 2 TNF in Buffalo). The rest of the Lions schedule will be revealed Thursday evening.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Detroit, MI

Cool, breezy Wednesday gives way to summer preview in Metro Detroit

Published

on

Cool, breezy Wednesday gives way to summer preview in Metro Detroit


4Warn Weather – Metro Detroit is getting a bit of everything this week: from freezing temperatures to summerlike heat.

Mixed in are rain chances.

Tuesday night will feature scattered showers and a chance of a few thunderstorms as a cold front moves through Southeast Michigan.

The strongest storms Tuesday night are not expected to be severe, but a few downpours and gusty winds will be possible before the rain tapers off overnight.

Advertisement

Overnight temperatures will settle into the 40s and 50s in most locations.

Cooler air will arrive first across the Thumb and northern communities, with lows dipping into the mid- to upper 40s near Lapeer, Port Huron, and Sandusky.

Detroit and Downriver communities will be in the lower 50s.

Wednesday

High temperatures will remain below average across Metro through Thursday, but a significant warmup is on the way for the weekend. (WDIV)

Wednesday will feel noticeably cooler and breezy behind the front. High temperatures may struggle to climb much beyond the mid-50s in Metro Detroit, while communities farther north could remain even cooler at times under mostly cloudy skies.

A stray shower cannot be ruled out during the day, but much of Wednesday looks dry.

Advertisement

That cooler air will greet fans heading downtown Wednesday evening for Game 5 between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers at Little Caesars Arena.

Temperatures around tipoff at 8 p.m. will hover near 50 degrees with cloudy skies. By the time fans leave the arena later Wednesday night, readings may slip into the upper 40s.

Anyone heading downtown may want a jacket, especially with a lingering breeze making it feel a little cooler outside.

After the chilly midweek stretch, temperatures will rebound quickly heading into the weekend.

Looking ahead

Friday evening looks comfortable for the Detroit Tigers’ series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park.

Advertisement

First-pitch temperatures around 6:45 p.m. should be near 60 degrees under partly cloudy skies.

Saturday may end up being one of the nicest days Metro Detroit has seen in a while. Temperatures are expected to surge into the lower 80s.

Plenty of sunshine and warm conditions should make for ideal baseball weather and a busy day across parks, patios, marinas, and outdoor events across southeast Michigan.

Sunday remains warm, with highs in the upper 70s and approaching 80 degrees, though the atmosphere may become more unsettled later in the day.

Flower Day at Eastern Market in Detroit should still feature decent weather for shoppers and visitors during the morning and early afternoon, but a few showers and isolated thunderstorms could develop later Sunday as moisture increases again across the Great Lakes.

Advertisement

That means people heading to Eastern Market may want to keep an umbrella nearby, especially if spending several hours outdoors later in the day.

Even with the chance of rain, temperatures will remain warm and pleasant for browsing flowers, plants, and outdoor vendors.

The warming trend continues into early next week, with highs climbing into the 80s again on Monday with additional rain chances.

Share your weather photos with Local 4 at MIPics.

Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending