Sen. Rand Paul said Wednesday on "Fox & Friends" that one of his staff members nearly lost his life when a felon stabbed him in the head in broad daylight on the streets of Washington D.C.
Paul, R-Ky., spoke about new details of the attack and called on cities to make their communities safer.
"It makes me think we're in the Third World. I wonder whether Washington, D.C., should be listed on dangerous places to travel like we do at the State Department for foreign countries. Many of our major cities are really going to rot and ruin."
KENTUCKY SEN. RAND PAUL SAYS STAFF MEMBER WAS ‘BRUTALLY ATTACKED’
He said the staffer, Phillip Todd, was stabbed in Washington, D.C., this weekend did not know the suspect and lamented how the attacker had just been released from prison a day before the crime.
"We are praying for his recovery. … He didn't know the attacker. The attacker was out of jail for 24 hours," Paul told Fox News Digital and other reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday in brief comments about staffer Phillip Todd.
Paul said cities like Washington D.C. have "demoralized police," resulting in more crime.
"He's young, strong, athletic. I think he'll be better hopefully in a few weeks. But he's had a lot to go through, multiple surgeries and these were life-threatening wounds. But we think he's on the mend. It's just going to take a while."
Paul said Todd and a friend were walking to get some food at around 4:30-5:30pm local time Saturday when the attacker "blindsided" him on H Street.
Paul questioned if there were other violations that could have kept him in prison longer and how there should be some kind of testing to make sure people released from prison are not trying to commit more violent crimes.
"When my wife and I were assaulted, a police officer was actually physically punched and injured. They arrested the guy. They released him that same night on his own recognizance. And then they let the charges fall away. And he was never really convicted for hitting a policeman. And so I think we have to really I think if you're caught in the act of attacking a police officer, I think you should stay in jail till your trial."
The Metropolitan Police Department announced soon after the attack that it had arrested the suspect on a charge of assault with intent to kill.
The suspect was identified as Glynn Neal. Federal Bureau of Prisons records show he was released from prison Friday.
Neal was sentenced to 12 years and four months in prison in 2011 on charges of "compelling an individual to live a life of prostitution without his or her consent" and "threat to kidnap to injure a person."
Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
