By David Fleet
Editor
Lt. Jeff Neville, an Atlas Township resident, was the police officer stabbed in the neck during an attack at Flint Bishop International Airport on June 21.
His condition was upgraded on June 22 to “good” at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, according to a statement from Ilene Cantor, chief communications and marketing officer. Neville was initially listed in critical condition following the morning attack.
Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell said Neville, a 20-year veteran of the sheriff’s department who retired as a lieutenant in 2002 and has since worked at Flint Bishop Airport as a security officer, has that “get it done” attitude.
“I wish I had a dozen just like him,” said Pickell on Wednesday. “He’s a great family man and when we heard it was Jeff that was stabbed we were devastated. Our prayers go out to the family.”
According to a statement from the FBI, law enforcement officers from a number of organizations including the FBI’s Flint office, responded to the Flint Bishop airport after receiving the report of a stabbing of an airport police officer.
The FBI identified the suspect as Amor M. Ftouhi, 50, of Quebec, Canada.
Special Agent Thomas M. Sodgeroth said in an affidavit that Ftouhi used a large knife with a green handle and a black serrated blade to stab Neville at the airport. Specifically, the officer who witnessed the attack said Ftouhi walked up to Neville, a fully-uniformed police officer, at a publicly accessible area of the airport, yelled “Allahu Akbar,” pulled out a knife and stabbed the officer in the neck.
After stabbing Neville, Ftouhi continued to yell “Allah” several times. He further exclaimed something similar to, “you have killed people in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.” The law enforcement officer was able to subdue Ftouhi, who asked the officer why he did not kill him.
“Allahu Akbar,” translates to “Allah is the greatest.”
Ftouhi appeared in front of U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie Dawkins in Flint June 21, facing a charge of committing an act of violence at an airport. He remains jailed.
“Jeff worked his way up in the department starting in the jail and road patrol,” said Pickell. “He worked on the Flint narcotics group and was an outstanding officer. He was given the Ben Walker award for his dedication and service to the department.”
“He was very positive and a real people person and cared for them,” he added.