Upon hearing screaming on May 22, 2020, outside his Willington, Connecticut, home, John A. Franco, 80, approached a 23-year-old man who was standing over a 62-year-old man on the ground slashing him with a sword. Retired auditor and neighbor to the victim, Franco shouted at the assailant to stop the assault. Franco moved closer to the scene; his neighbor had been severely injured, with wounds to his hands, head, and upper body. The assailant, who was larger than Franco, turned his attention to Franco and attacked, slashing at his hands and head. Franco fell near his driveway, and other neighbors responded. The assailant fled the scene and was arrested later. The neighbor died on his way to the hospital. Franco was hospitalized one week and spent another week in a rehabilitation center. He underwent surgery to repair serious wounds to both hands, and his left hand remains disabled.
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