Officer stabbed at Flint airport recovering well, doctors say

FLINT, Mich. (WJBK) - Doctors say airport officer who was stabbed in the neck at Bishop International Airport earlier this week is recovering well. The attack that injured Lt. Jeff Neville was being investigated as an act of terrorism, but authorities said they have no indication that the suspect, Amor Ftouhi, was involved in a "wider plot."

Hurley Medical Center doctors said Friday that Neville could be released from the hospital within a couple days. Dr. Donald Scholten says Neville suffered a 12-inch slash that caused significant bleeding but spared major arteries and a nerve by "millimeters."

Scholten says first responders' efforts were "absolutely life-saving."

Meanwhile, investigators are working to learn more about Ftouhi, who was a part-time caretaker at the Montreal apartment building where he lived and had once studied to sell insurance.

Once in the U.S., he unsuccessfully tried to buy a gun at Gibraltar Trade Center in Mt. Clemens, but instead managed to buy a knife.

Flint airport stabbing suspect tried to buy gun in Mt. Clemens before attack

Ftouhi, a dual citizen of Canada and Tunisia, stabbed Neville with a large knife after yelling "Allahu akbar," the Arabic phrase for "God is great." According to the FBI, Ftouhi said something similar to "you have killed people in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are all going to die."

Ftouhi was immediately taken into custody and was charged in a criminal complaint with committing violence at an airport. Acting U.S. Attorney Dan Lemisch said more charges are coming in the days ahead. Ftouhi is in custody and has a bond hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Neville was "doing well" at a hospital, airport Director Craig Williams said Thursday.

Officer attacked at Flint airport recovering as friends recall what happened

This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 2 for updates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report