A Michigan man lost eight pints of blood following a brutal attack at the Blissfest Music Festival, where he and his dance partner performed.
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Darryl "Lonn" Hartman, 37, was so severely injured that he could only communicate with his eyes and was initially unable to inform investigators of details of his near-fatal assault on July 12, the Emmet County Sheriff's Office
said Thursday.Hartman and his dance partner traveled to Blissfest, an annual festival hosted at a 200-acre farm in Harbor Springs that attracts thousands of attendees. The morning after the duo took the stage, Hartman was found bleeding out near his tent with two deep cuts in his neck.
"It was looking like he shouldn't be alive right now," friend Terace Garnier told Fox 2 Detroit. "That's basically what they were saying. With the amount of blood that he lost."
Hartman, who mentors underprivileged youth in Detroit, was hospitalized for over a week.
By nodding his head and blinking his eyes, the injured dancer was able to shed light on the identity of his attackers.
"He told us who did this. So, we know who did this, Garnier said. "The individuals were Caucasian. So we believe it's a hate crime and potentially a crime of passion," said Garnier.
An investigation is underway.
"We remain committed to finding answers. Identifying what occurred that evening, and bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion," the sheriff's office said.
Hartman's Family and Friends Shocked by Bloody Attack
The brutal attack on Hartman has devastated his friends and family.
"You ask anybody about him, and they will tell you he would give you the shirt off of his back for anybody. Frankly, we're all shocked and in disbelief of who would do something to such a sweet person," said Garnier.
Blissfest organizers released a statement following the incident at Harbor Springs.
"Our hearts go out to everyone who has reached out with concern," the festival said on Thursday.
"From the moment Blissfest became aware of this situation, the organization has cooperated fully with law enforcement.
"Out of respect for the investigative process and those affected, Blissfest has refrained from commenting on unverified claims."
Police said this is a "high priority" case and are working to identify the assailants.
