According to AP reporting, Nassar was inside his cell when fellow prisoner Shane McMillan attacked him with a makeshift weapon.
The attack happened beyond the field of view of surveillance cameras, which were directed toward common areas and corridors rather than inside individual cells.
Four other prisoners reportedly intervened and pulled McMillan away from Nassar. Correctional employees then entered the cell and performed emergency measures described by officials as life-saving.
Nassar was transported to a hospital. Despite his serious injuries, he was reported to be in stable condition several days later.
Accounts based on a source familiar with the incident said he was stabbed 10 times: in his chest, back and neck. The injuries included a collapsed lung.
This is the basis for describing the attack as brutal or severe. It was not merely a fistfight or a minor altercation.
At the same time, graphic details should be reported carefully. The fact that Nassar committed horrific crimes does not eliminate the need for accuracy or turn an unsourced description into evidence.
What Was the Alleged Motive?
