An Arizona man is in police custody after leaving a stranger’s eyeball hanging out of its socket. According to multiple reports, Daniel Lanks is allegedly the man responsible for the attack and faces a charge of felony aggravated assault. The attack happened on April 14, two days after Lanks was reportedly released from jail for a separate, unrelated incident.
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Man Yanks Out Stranger’s Eyeball Over Common Phrase
So, what exactly happened? An unnamed man was strolling down the street in Phoenix at around 1 a.m. on the 11th. After coming across Lanks, he randomly asked him: “How are you doing?” Daniel’s next move resulted in permanent damage and long-lasting trauma for the victim. Court documents state that Lanks immediately became aggressive, threatening to “whoop” the victim — who kept walking. Suddenly, Daniel Lanks allegedly snuck behind the stranger, and dug his fingers into his right eye socket before yanking it out.
At that point, the male victim allegedly dropped to the ground, and Lanks continued the assault with multiple face punches. Ultimately, the victim reportedly got away, rushed home, and his girlfriend called 911. When police arrived, Fox 10 Phoenix reports that the victim was holding a bloody towel to his face. After removing it, the officers reportedly witnessed his eyeball hanging from its socket.
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Details On The Victim & His Post-Attack Trauma
As mentioned, neither the police nor the media reports have named the victim in the incident. At this time, it appears that Daniel and the stranger had no prior connection. There’s also no word about where the stranger was coming from or headed to at the time of the attack. A motive for the verbal threat and eyeball yanking is also unknown.
Meanwhile, court documents say the stranger can no longer use his right eye. Additionally, Lanks fractured his jaw with the punches. The victim is also “unsure if he will be able to work again or perform many basic life functions,” per Fox 10 Phoenix.
“The victim stated that during this incident he was in fear for his life and safety, believing that Daniel could have killed him and stated the attack was completely unprovoked, and he did not threaten Daniel, challenge him, and did not have any form of weapons to be perceived as a threat,” court documents added.
What Happens Next To Daniel Lanks?
Daniel is already in police custody for the eyeball incident. However, it took cops three days to find and book him on April 14. That same day, the victim identified him in a photo line-up. When police caught up with Lanks, he allegedly told him to “shut the f**k up” and said he didn’t understand his Miranda rights.
In addition to his felony charge, Daniel Lanks faces a $500,000 bond if he is to be released before his trial. Prosecutors have labeled him a flight risk and a danger to the general public. The eyeball incident follows Daniel’s brief jail stint for aggravated assault and organized retail theft charges. That arrest happened in March, and he was recently released on his own recognizance.
