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NewsCenter 5 sat down with former Fall River, Massachusetts, Mayor Will Flanagan on Thursday as he shared his experience of surviving a near-fatal stabbing attack.On Oct. 20, 2025, Flanagan, who served as mayor from 2010 to 2014, was walking on Hartwell Street when he was stabbed several times by an unknown assailant.Surveillance video showed the moment the suspect ran up to Flanagan from behind before making striking motions toward his head and neck. Flanagan said he never saw the attack coming. “I pop up to my feet, I walk over to wear … the seniors told me I was stabbed,” Flanagan told NewsCenter 5. “They convinced me to call 911 because I’m confused, I’m not sure what’s happening.”Flanagan said he got on the phone with 911 dispatch and told them his location. “I told the operator, ‘Please send rescue, I think I’m dying.’”The former Fall River mayor describes being in the ambulance within minutes and being transported to St. Luke’s Hospital.He says the EMTs reassured him to stay awake because of the amount of blood he was losing.After arriving at St. Luke’s, Flanagan said he was taken in for imaging and continued to spit up blood.”The doctor said, ‘We need to put him on a ventilator, we don’t have much time,’” Flanagan said.At that point, Flanagan asked to briefly see his family.Hospital staff then worked diligently to repair the deep lacerations to his head and neck.”Next thing I knew, I woke up on the ventilator,” he said.Flanagan said the near-death experience has changed him.”I feel it definitely will change how I go out into the world, but the more I think about it, the more I think as a society we have to focus more on mental health,” he said. “My attacker should not have been on the streets; he should’ve been in some facility where he was getting the help he needed.”Flanagan says society needs to put more emphasis on mental health and getting potentially violent offenders off the street and into the correct institutions.”I think of the Ukrainian girl who was stabbed on the train who was killed … her attacker fits the same description as my attacker,” he said. “People like that cannot be on the streets of America.”Flanagan said he thought about what it would take to get people like his attacker the help they needed while lying in his hospital bed.He says President Trump should revisit the idea of opening institutions and asylums.Beyond that, Flanagan says the experience brought him closer to his faith.”I do believe God saved my life,” the former mayor said.His goal is to be “independent and back to normal life” by Christmas, and he credits his children as powerful motivators to getting him healthier and stronger every day. “When I spoke to the eye doctor yesterday he looked me in the face and said, ‘Do you know how lucky you are?’ I said, ‘I believe I do.’ And he goes, ‘No, you’re like Powerball lucky,’” Flanagan said. Despite the life-altering experience, Flanagan says he will still continue to walk around Fall River, but will be much more aware of his surroundings.”It’s my city,” he said.Corree Gonzales, 31, was arrested in connection with the stabbing just days after the attack. He was charged with two felonies in the attack on Flanagan, including armed assault to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury.Flanagan says neither he nor the police know what weapon was used or why Gonzales allegedly committed the crime.According to Fall River police, Gonzales has an extensive criminal record.He was ordered to undergo further mental health evaluations at Bridgewater State Hospital after pleading not guilty in his arraignment on Oct. 22. Gonzales has an extensive criminal record and court paperwork from arrests in 2024 have listed him as homeless.In one incident, Gonzales allegedly threatened his mother and sister. A police report stated that his mother told officers that Gonzales had suffered from mental illness since he was 15 years old.
NewsCenter 5 sat down with former Fall River, Massachusetts, Mayor Will Flanagan on Thursday as he shared his experience of surviving a near-fatal stabbing attack.
On Oct. 20, 2025, Flanagan, who served as mayor from 2010 to 2014, was walking on Hartwell Street when he was stabbed several times by an unknown assailant.
Surveillance video showed the moment the suspect ran up to Flanagan from behind before making striking motions toward his head and neck.
Flanagan said he never saw the attack coming.
“I pop up to my feet, I walk over to wear [the senior housing facility is] … the seniors told me I was stabbed,” Flanagan told NewsCenter 5. “They convinced me to call 911 because I’m confused, I’m not sure what’s happening.”
Flanagan said he got on the phone with 911 dispatch and told them his location. “I told the operator, ‘Please send rescue, I think I’m dying.’”
The former Fall River mayor describes being in the ambulance within minutes and being transported to St. Luke’s Hospital.
He says the EMTs reassured him to stay awake because of the amount of blood he was losing.
After arriving at St. Luke’s, Flanagan said he was taken in for imaging and continued to spit up blood.
“The doctor said, ‘We need to put him on a ventilator, we don’t have much time,’” Flanagan said.
At that point, Flanagan asked to briefly see his family.
Hospital staff then worked diligently to repair the deep lacerations to his head and neck.
“Next thing I knew, I woke up on the ventilator,” he said.
Flanagan said the near-death experience has changed him.
“I feel it definitely will change how I go out into the world, but the more I think about it, the more I think as a society we have to focus more on mental health,” he said. “My attacker should not have been on the streets; he should’ve been in some facility where he was getting the help he needed.”
Flanagan says society needs to put more emphasis on mental health and getting potentially violent offenders off the street and into the correct institutions.
“I think of the Ukrainian girl who was stabbed on the train who was killed … her attacker fits the same description as my attacker,” he said. “People like that cannot be on the streets of America.”
Flanagan said he thought about what it would take to get people like his attacker the help they needed while lying in his hospital bed.
He says President Trump should revisit the idea of opening institutions and asylums.
Beyond that, Flanagan says the experience brought him closer to his faith.
“I do believe God saved my life,” the former mayor said.
His goal is to be “independent and back to normal life” by Christmas, and he credits his children as powerful motivators to getting him healthier and stronger every day.
“When I spoke to the eye doctor yesterday he looked me in the face and said, ‘Do you know how lucky you are?’ I said, ‘I believe I do.’ And he goes, ‘No, you’re like Powerball lucky,’” Flanagan said.
Despite the life-altering experience, Flanagan says he will still continue to walk around Fall River, but will be much more aware of his surroundings.
“It’s my city,” he said.
Corree Gonzales, 31, was arrested in connection with the stabbing just days after the attack. He was charged with two felonies in the attack on Flanagan, including armed assault to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury.
Flanagan says neither he nor the police know what weapon was used or why Gonzales allegedly committed the crime.
According to Fall River police, Gonzales has an extensive criminal record.
He was ordered to undergo further mental health evaluations at Bridgewater State Hospital after pleading not guilty in his arraignment on Oct. 22.
Gonzales has an extensive criminal record and court paperwork from arrests in 2024 have listed him as homeless.
In one incident, Gonzales allegedly threatened his mother and sister. A police report stated that his mother told officers that Gonzales had suffered from mental illness since he was 15 years old.
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