Crime Police Identify 24-Year-Old Suspect in Salman Rushdie Stabbing Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey, has been identified by New York State Police as the attacker who stabbed author Salman Rushdie during a lecture on Friday By Charmaine Patterson Charmaine Patterson Charmaine Patterson is an Associate Editor at PEOPLE. She first began working at PEOPLE in 2021 as a Digital News Writer. Her work has previously appeared on xoNecole, The Lakelander, and Aspire TV. People Editorial Guidelines Published on August 12, 2022 08:02PM EDT A suspect has been named in the stabbing of famed writer Salman Rushdie. The Satanic Verses author, 75, was attacked Friday as he was being introduced at a literary festival at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, per the Associated Press. The New York State Police announced in a release that the attacker has been identified as 24-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey, and is currently in custody. Major Eugene J. Staniszewski said in a press conference captured by CBS News that Rushdie, a guest speaker at a lecture, and Ralph Henry Reese, 73, had "just arrived on stage" when Matar rushed the stage and stabbed Rushdie "at least once in the neck and at least once in the abdomen." Members of the institution's staff, along with some in the audience, tackled Matar. An onsite trooper and Chautauqua deputy then arrested Matar. A doctor treated Rushdie until EMS got to the scene, police said. Joshua Goodman/AP What to Know About Salman Rushdie's 'Satanic Verses' Controversy Rushdie was airlifted to a hospital and as of the time of the news conference was in surgery at a local trauma center. Reese has been released from the hospital and is recovering from a facial injury. For more on Salman Rushdie, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day. Police said a motive isn't clear at this time, however, police are working with the District Attorney's office to get a search warrant for a backpack and electronic devices that Matar had with him. Authorities are "assuming he was alone" but are investigating to confirm. Officials said Matar accessed the building with a pass, just like other attendees in the audience. A further investigation will determine charges against Matar that could be filed by Friday evening, officials said, noting that there is a police presence with Rushdie at the hospital. RELATED VIDEO: Salman Rushdie Attacked on Stage in New York The author, who was born in Mumbai and moved to England permanently after attending school at Cambridge, was the subject of a fatwā, or religious ruling, from Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989 after his novel The Satanic Verses was released. Many Muslims were outraged by the writing and demonstrations were held around the world. Because of threats against his life and million-dollar bounties on his head, Rushdie went into hiding for almost a decade. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Salman Rushdie. David Levenson/Getty Rushdie was married at the time to author Marianne Wiggins; they divorced shortly after. Rushdie has been married three other times; first to Clarissa Luard, third to Elizabeth West and most recently to author and chef Padma Lakshmi from 2004 to 2007. Rushdie is the former president of PEN America. In a statement after the attack, CEO Suzanne Nossel said, "PEN America is reeling from shock and horror at the word of a brutal, premeditated attack on our former President and stalwart ally, Salman Rushdie." "We can think of no comparable incident of a public attack on a literary writer on American soil," the statement continued. The statement ended by offering well-wishes to Rushdie: "Our thoughts and passions now lie with our dauntless Salman, wishing him a full and speedy recovery. We hope and believe fervently that his essential voice cannot and will not be silenced." The investigation remains ongoing.