A man riding an MBTA bus home after working a double shift says he stepped in when another passenger began harassing an older woman, only to be stabbed himself.
Shane Vautour says the confrontation happened Sunday night after the woman, whom he estimated was in her 60s, got on the bus.
Vautour said the woman was being friendly and talking with other passengers when a man began yelling at her and making racist remarks.
“He started screaming and swearing at her saying very unkind and racist things at her,” Vautour said.
Vautour said he then saw the man shove the woman.
That’s when he decided to intervene.
Vautour said he confronted the man and quickly realized he had a knife.
“I swung at him, he swung back and immediately stabbed me,” Vautour said.
Vautour said he grabbed the knife as the suspect pulled it away.
He suffered a roughly 3-inch stab wound to the left side of his abdomen, along with several injuries to his hands.
Vautour said one of his fingers was nearly cut to the tip and cuts to other fingers damaged ligaments, leaving him unable to bend two of his top knuckles.
He credits his martial arts training with helping him grab the knife and protect himself.
After the fight, Vautour got off the bus near Seaver Street and Humboldt Avenue, close to Franklin Park.
A person on the bus with medical training ran out to help him, Vautour said.
“Apparently none of my injuries were life-threatening,” Vautour said. “I didn’t know that at the time.”
Vautour said he believes that person may have saved his life.
“He really, as far as I’m concerned, he saved my life whether I was in jeopardy or not,” he said.
Transit Police say the suspect ran away after the stabbing but investigators were able to track him down.
Police have not publicly identified the suspect or released the charges he faces.
“I think he did mean that little old lady some kind of harm,” Vautour said. “I’m glad I stepped in before that happened.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
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