MIAMI (WSVN) - One of two victims who, police said, were stabbed by an assailant at separate Metromover stations in downtown Miami is feeling grateful to have survived the ordeal.
Miguel Columna said terrifying thoughts ran through his mind after a knife pierced his neck at the Government Center Metromover Station, Friday afternoon.
“I thought I was gonna die. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m gushing,'” he said.
Columna, who spoke to 7News from his home on Sunday, said he immediately thought of his loved ones.
“I have three children, and so I thought, like, ‘Am I gonna see them again?'” he said.
According to City of Miami Police, Columna and the other victim were stabbed by 27-year-old Christopher Coleman.
“When I brushed past him, he happened to start getting agitated and saying racial slurs,” said Columna.
The victim said the situation quickly escalated. Shortly after, he said, he saw his attacker reach into a bag and pull out a knife.
“When I saw him lunge, I kind of went for his knife, and then I felt the knife pierce me, so I grabbed his leg, and I tussled with him,” said Columna.
The victim said he was able to pin down the suspect and turn the knife around so he wouldn’t get stabbed again.
“In the moment when I was on top and talking, all I saw was the blood leaking, so I had the decision of either do something to this person or just worry about myself, and I didn’t really care about that,” he said.
Columna said he eventually gave up and and let Coleman run away.
Investigators said Coleman stabbed another person at the Eleventh Street Metromover Station, located in the area of Northeast 11th Street and First Avenue.
Miami Fire Rescue crews transported Columna and the other victim to Jackson Memorial Hospital in stable condition.
Saturday afternoon, police confirmed they had arrested Coleman at the Miami-Dade Public Library along Flagler Street. He has been charged with aggravated battery and carrying a concealed weapon.
Meanwhile, Columna continues to recover. He said he is counting his blessings.
“When they say you see your life flash before your eyes, it’s more like you think of everything at once,” he said. “It’s not, you see your life flash before your eyes. You see everything at once where, ‘Oh, God, what could I have done?’ And that situation went in, like, super slow motion for me.”
Columna said he was told there were no cameras that captured the incident. He thinks the stops could be made safer to prevent something like this from happening again.
Columna has started a GoFundMe page to help with expenses. If you would like to make a donation, click here.
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