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WFTV speaks to man who held stabbing suspect at gunpoint until deputies arrived

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A man was stabbed at a Lynx bus stop Wednesday morning, and a passerby held the alleged attacker at gunpoint for deputies, according to Orange County sheriff's investigators.

Investigators said Donald Sacco was stabbed several times at the bus stop on Orange Avenue near Sixth Street in the Taft area.

"I (saw) two men get off the bus. One got off faster than the other one," said witness Si Macon. "I looked out the window, and I (saw) one started to stab up the other dude."

Mason recorded video on his cellphone that showed another man, Jeffery Hopkins, jump from a car and hold the alleged attacker at gunpoint until deputies could arrive. He said the victim sat bleeding on the bus stop bench.

"He wasn't in that much pain, but he kept holding his stomach because he was bleeding pretty good, like at least four holes in him," said Macon.

Hopkins spoke to WFTV and said he just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Deputies arrived and arrested the suspect, who was identified as Thomas Thorpe.

Investigators said the stabbing was part of an attempted robbery.

They said Thorpe was trying to take Sacco's bag and started stabbing him in the process.

Several other witnesses who saw the stabbing jumped in to help.

Hopkins a said at first he thought the man was being punched, but then noticed the knife.

When deputies arrived at the scene, a knife was on the ground next to the bench and they found another knife in the suspect’s pocket.

“As I was getting out, I noticed the guy had a knife in his hand so I went for my gun and took him down,” Hopkins said. “He looked at me very scared. Then realized I was serious and dropped the knife and laid down immediately.”

Hopkins did not show his face for WFTV’s cameras because he said he doesn’t want any more attention and just wanted to help.

“If it was my father or anybody like that out there getting attacked, people need to get involved,” Hopkins said.

Witnesses said there was nothing unusual on the bus and the two men did not appear to be fighting before the attack.

"The thing about it is the dude said they didn't even know each other from nothing, so I don't know if he was trying to rob him or what, but he stabbed him up pretty good," said Macon.

According to investigators, Sacco was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Thorpe is being held on no bond in the Orange County jail.