Olympic medalist Kim Glass claimed that a man wielding what appeared to be a metal pipe attacked her in downtown Los Angeles, fracturing her eye socket.
Glass, a silver medalist on Team USA’s 2008 Olympic volleyball squad, described the unprovoked attack in an Instagram story published on Sunday, showing her with her right eye swollen shut, stitches below the eyebrow, and a gouge across her nose.
Glass stated she was leaving a restaurant with a friend on Friday after having lunch when “this homeless man ran up.”
She said, “He had something in his hand, and he just looked at me with pretty hostile eyes.” “As I turned to tell my friend, ‘I think something is wrong with him, and I think he’s going to hit your car,’ I was struck by a large pipe-like metal bolt.”
“It happened so quickly that he literally threw it from the street, so he was nowhere near me.”
Glass stated that bystanders subdued and held the man until police officers arrived. The police arrested Semeon Tesfamarian, age 50. A spokesperson for the LAPD told the Los Angeles Times that investigators were unable to confirm whether or not he was homeless.
“Right now, it appears that my vision will be fine, and the doctor who stitched me up did an excellent job,” Glass said. The best part has been having amazing friends and family surrounding me and supporting me.
Glass joined the United States national volleyball team in 2007 and won an Olympic medal in Beijing in 2008. Since then, she has worked as a model and appeared on “The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars” on MTV.
“I have multiple fractures up here and a small one here,” Glass said, indicating her facial injuries.
She continued, “I just wanted to let you know what happened because I know it will get out.” “Also, I’m receiving numerous messages, and I adore you all so much; please know that I’m fine.”