Former Fall River mayor speaks out for first time since stabbing

Former Fall River mayor Will Flanagan spoke out Tuesday for the first time since he was stabbed on the street earlier this month. Video showed the moments leading up to the stabbing; Flanagan was walking as a man ran up to him from behind, swinging a knife. The attack left him with serious injuries and he was hospitalized for more than a week. On Tuesday, Flanagan posted this message: “I came face to face with death. A man, lost in psychosis, stabbed me multiple times — in my face, in my body, and in my neck. I can still feel the weight of those moments. The sound. The fear. The realization that I might never see my family again. … I will carry these scars forever. They are now part of me — reminders that life can change in a heartbeat, that tomorrow is never guaranteed, and that miracles still happen.” The surveillance video helped investigators find the suspect, 31-year-old Coree Gonzales. Gonzales was arrested last week and pled not guilty. He is being held without bail.