A GoFundMe campaign launched for the Belfast man who intervened during a brutal knife attack has attracted thousands of dollars in donations, with supporters praising his actions as courageous.
A GoFundMe campaign launched for the Belfast man who intervened during a brutal knife attack has attracted thousands of dollars in donations, with supporters praising his actions as courageous.
"I could only bear to watch two or three seconds of the video. I live just 30 minutes away. I just thought this guy deserves something for his bravery, so I just got on it as soon as possible," Mr Donnan told Metro. More than £16,000 has already been raised for Matt McKiernan, 32, who was filmed confronting an alleged attacker with a hurling stick during a stabbing in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, local time.
Right Picture: GoFundMe The fundraiser has quickly gained traction, with dozens of people contributing money to buy Mr McKiernan a pint.
"I have set up this GoFundMe so the people of our land can show our support to Matt for his incredible bravery and courage," the fundraising page said. Police have also praised those who intervened, describing their actions as an example of"incredible bravery and community spirit". Mr McKiernan has since spoken publicly about the incident after being identified as the man seen wielding a traditional Irish hurling stick.
Graphic footage shared online appeared to show a man, later identified by authorities as a Sudanese national, pinning a victim to the ground while repeatedly stabbing him on a street in Belfast on Tuesday. Mr McKiernan told the Daily Mail that he and a friend rushed towards the scene after noticing the disturbance.
"As he got closer, he saw the knife. It looked to be a serrated steak knife but with a broken handle," Mr McKiernan said. Realising the seriousness of the situation, he grabbed a hurling stick that had been left in his vehicle after taking his son to training earlier in the evening. Mr McKiernan said he and another man, identified as Andre, were eventually able to force the alleged attacker to retreat and drop the knife before police arrived.
Authorities have said the suspect is believed to be a Sudanese national who travelled from Sudan to Paris, then to Dublin, before arriving in Belfast by bus in February 2023. According to Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, the man applied for asylum after arriving in the UK and was granted leave to remain in September 2023 for a five-year period.
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