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ORLANDO, Fla. – An off-duty doctor is being praised for her quick actions after police say a woman was stabbed multiple times by her ex-boyfriend outside the Mall at Millenia last month.
The violent incident unfolded on the night of June 23.
According to the Orlando Police Department, surveillance video showed the victim getting into a vehicle driven by 41-year-old Alinton John. Moments later, she was seen running from the car suffering from several stab wounds.
Dr. Joanne Balkaran said she was visiting the mall with her family when she heard the victim crying out for help.
“My daughter said, ‘Mom, you’re a doctor, you need to go,’” Balkaran recalled. “I said, ‘I’m off duty.’”
Despite not being on the clock, Balkaran said she rushed to help and went into “doctor mode.”
“I did an assessment, and she seemed pretty fine, so we laid her down on the ground and then I started doing a head-to-toe assessment like you would do in any emergency situation,” she said.
Balkaran retrieved a first aid kit from her car and began treating the woman’s injuries. She described finding a deep laceration on the victim’s abdomen extending toward her pelvic area.
“I had Ace wrap, compression. I put that in there and started working my way up,” Balkaran said. “We were seeing everything fully open. This guy probably had some type of extremely sharp blade to be able to cause these injuries.”
Investigators said a bystander even pointed a firearm at John when he attempted to chase after the victim with the knife still in hand. He was arrested shortly afterward and is now being held in the Orange County Jail without bond on a charge of attempted homicide.
The woman was reportedly able to speak with investigators, though her current condition is unknown.
Balkaran said she’s grateful she was there to help and hopes the case sheds light on the dangers of domestic violence.
“I think for other women who are going through any situation, whether stuck in a relationship or they are in a really toxic relationship, I feel privileged to be able to take care of her so she wasn’t left there alone,” she said.
If you or anyone you know needs assistance, they can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling (800) 799-7233.
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