Senate Aide Nearly Killed in Washington DC Stabbing Calls Crime Fight Worthwhile [WATCH]

A Senate aide who survived a near-fatal stabbing in Washington, D.C., says the fight against violent crime in the nation’s capital is “worthwhile,” even as the city remains at the center of a national debate over public safety, as reported by Fox News.

Phillip Todd, a former staffer for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), was attacked in March 2023 on H Street in Washington. Todd, then 26, was stabbed multiple times in a random assault that left him with life-threatening injuries.

According to court records, Todd’s attacker, 42-year-old Glynn Neal, had been released from prison just days before the incident after serving more than a decade behind bars. Neal was later found mentally incompetent to stand trial.

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Todd described how close he came to dying in the attack, with stab wounds puncturing his diaphragm, skull, and nearly reaching his heart.

“The first thing that I had thought of was, ‘Well, I need to pray. Maybe I can’t pray myself, but someone needs to pray for this,’” Todd told Fox News Digital. He said a paramedic, who identified as an atheist, nevertheless prayed for him at his request while working to save his life.

The former aide, now recovered and still working on Capitol Hill, said the incident tested both his faith and his perspective on politics. While acknowledging the assault could serve as a political example of crime in the city, he said his personal focus has been on faith and forgiveness.

“The story for me, or the obligation for me, is to focus on the goodness of God, and focus on obedience to God and stewarding that story,” he said.

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Todd forgave Neal from his hospital bed, a decision he said helped him move forward. “It would be totally understandable to have a lot of desire to see retribution,” Todd said.

“And yet in those moments — because God had gifted me with the ability to forgive, and God had saved me from death — showing how obedience to God can also lead others to a life full of meaning and satisfaction and redemption and tough trials and situations.”

The assault took place during one of Washington’s most violent years in decades, with crime rates surging across the city.

In response, President Donald Trump moved to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed federal law enforcement and National Guard troops to the streets.

Asked about the presence of troops in the capital, Todd said he was uncertain if it was the best solution but emphasized the importance of addressing the problem.

“I don’t know whether or not troops in the city is the best way to do it. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t,” Todd said. “But I do think that the attitude of trying to solve that problem is something that people need to have, and it’s worthwhile.”

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