Lincoln man wakes up in hospital after brutal attack

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - A 22-year-old Lincoln man is recovering from a violent attack that happened near 33rd and Holdrege Streets on Sunday.

Armin Ajir opened his eyes on Thursday for the first time since being in the ICU. He has three neck fractures and torn ligaments.

“I talked to him a little bit, and he was able to hold my hand, and he just teared up a little bit and it made me almost cry,” said Margaux Stanley, Ajir’s girlfriend.

Ajir was picking Stanley up from a friend’s house at 2 a.m. Sunday, when a man approached them. Stanley said the man tried to pick a fight with Ajir, although she does not remember what it was about.

Then six or seven men joined in to rob and beat Ajir, even when he was knocked unconscious.

“It was terrifying to see,” Stanley said. “I felt almost stuck at first. I didn’t know what to do other than just trying to push away the men who were attacking him after he was already down.”

The attackers stole Ajir’s shoes off his feet. It was a pair of Jordan 1 Retro High Nike shoes, which cost over $1,000.

Stanley fought with one of the attackers who tried to get into the driver’s seat of her boyfriend’s car. She saved the car but lost her purse in the process.

“I was just trying to do my best to push them and get them away,” Stanley said.

The attackers fled when they heard the SOS signal sound off on Stanley’s phone.

Police arrived, and Ajir was taken to the hospital. While he was sedated, Stanley collaborated with Ajir’s family to set up a GoFundMe account to help with medical expenses with an goal of $50,000. As of Thursday, supporters have donated close to $5,000.

“I just think it’s amazing that we could do something like that for him,” Stanley said.

Stanley said Ajir is the “the type of person people just love to be around,” describing him as compassionate, intuitive, intelligent and humorous.

He has since been taken off of sedation and ventilators, but the neck brace will remain until his fractures heal.

“Part of me felt very relieved and hopeful,” Stanley said. “I’m very proud of him, how he’s doing. He’s been really strong through it all.”

The Lincoln Police Department has no updates as to who the attackers were, but the investigation is ongoing.

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