South Fort Myers barber speaks to WINK News after getting stabbed at work

Reporter: Annalise Iraola Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:

A man went to HQ Men’s Haircuts in South Fort Myers, picked up a pool cue, and began thrashing an employee at the barbershop.

The barber, Salaar Alam, eventually fought back and got the assailant off of him, during the Friday night attack.

Alam bounced back after the assault and returned to work on Monday. He explained he trusts that God is with him and thinks that’s why he was able not only to survive but fight off the attacker.

“I realized that now’s not the time to remain calm. This is a time to act,” said Alam.

“After he hit me, I thought he would tell me to move to the side, but then, when I heard ‘you’re dead,'” said Alam, “that’s when I realized the entire dynamics change.”

Alam was done for the day at HQ Men’s Haircuts when he suddenly came face to face with his masked attacker.

“He was trying to stab me, but at one point in time, I remember he started breathing heavily, and he’s getting tired, and I noticed he lowered the knife, so I ended up grabbing it actually by the blade,” said Alam.

Alam said he believes he knows why he was targeted.

“I was oriented towards it being a robbery, but then I realized with recent events, I see it as an act of hate,” said Alam.

Alam is a proud Muslim American who hopes to someday talk with his attacker. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office identifies him as Duncan Ray Greggersen.

“I’d like to have a conversation. I would like to see where he was at, what caused him to do this and hopefully get some form of closure,” said Alam.

LCSO has not said whether it’s investigating the attack as a hate crime, but Greggersen is behind bars. Alam said the man tried to snap his neck before he stabbed him in the neck.

Alam told WINK News that doctors told him he was lucky to be alive. If Greggersen stabbed Alam an inch in a different direction it would have hit an artery.

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