Family: Vancouver Starbucks stabbing victim didn't know attacker

VANCOUVER, Wash. – The man who police say was stabbed by another man outside a Starbucks Monday afternoon did not know his attacker, his family said in a statement Tuesday night.

Jerry Kush, 70 of Battle Ground, is in serious but stable condition and is on a ventilator, his family said. They said he's undergone two surgeries after being stabbed seven times.

According to his family, the attacker followed Kush as he was leaving the Starbucks where he frequently goes to meet with other retired friends twice a month to talk about current affairs. Kush asked the man to stop following him and then that was when the man attacked.

Police say the attacker is Scott C. Fandrich who made his first appearance in court Tuesday charged with first-degree assault.

The attack happened at about 5 p.m. at the Starbucks at 11502 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd.

Dozens of witnesses held Fandrich down after police say he attacked Kush and stabbed him in the stomach and neck. Another victim was stabbed in the leg when he was trying to break up the attack.

Kush's family said two of the seven stab wounds punctured his lung and ripped through an artery. His stomach was also damaged. They hope he’ll be off the ventilator by the end of the week.

"The family is extremely grateful to all of those who jumped in to help – many getting hurt themselves and others restraining the attacker until police arrived," the family said in the statement.

They expect Kush to be in the hospital for two weeks.

Detectives interviewed other customers at Starbucks. They said Fandrich once said he's willing to die for Islam.

It was not clear Tuesday night whether Fandrich was a regular at the Starbucks, as well.

He is in jail under a $500,000 bond.