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New video shows the moment a former mayor in Massachusetts was stabbed on Monday afternoon outside a cannabis dispensary he owns.
Former Democratic Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan, 45, was stabbed multiple times outside Cosmopolitan Dispensary on Monday at around 5 p.m., according to police. Officials said Flanagan suffered “significant injuries” and was transported to a hospital, where he was listed in serious but stable condition.
Security video from across the street shows a man running up to Flanagan, then stabbing him repeatedly. Flanagan fell behind a car, and the suspect could be seen fleeing the scene. Flanagan got up a short time later to seek aid, the video shows.
Flanagan remains hospitalized on a ventilator and will undergo another surgery, according to WPRI. Police arrested 31-year-old Corree Gonzales in relation to the stabbing. Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan told WHDH that Gonzales has a criminal history.
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“I’m not so much concerned about his criminal past, I’m concerned about his mental health and his ability to reintegrate into society,” Coogan said.
While charges relating to the stabbing are pending, Gonzales faces four counts of assault and battery on a police officer. Gonzales is being held without bail at the Bridgewater State Hospital after a doctor testified that Gonzales has a serious mental illness.
Flanagan was the Democratic mayor of Fall River from 2010 until 2014, when he faced a recall election after being accused of showing a gun to one of his political rivals, Jasiel Correia, according to The Herald News.
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Fall River Police Chief Kelly Furtado said patrol officers and detectives “responded swiftly” to what she called a “senseless act of violence.”
“We will exhaust every resource to ensure justice is served,” she said. “I want to thank the Mayor’s Office for their continued support as we move forward with this investigation.”
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According to The Herald News, Flanagan recently developed a side gig as a local film performer in addition to being an attorney.
Hours before the stabbing, Flanagan recorded a video of himself singing “Blame it on the Rain” during a storm that was moving through the area.
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