She continued holding her purse.

"The man then took a knife and cut her throat about 5 to 6 inches," Officer Stephanie Brown told Channel 2 Action News.

He grabbed the purse and took off running, according to the police report.

Fernando Bispo, who witnessed the attack, told police he ran after the man and got him to drop the handbag.

Bispo stopped when the man turned the knife on him.

Another witness told police she saw a man jump the back fence of Kindred Hospital and offered to help him when he fell.

She later learned about the robbery victim, according to the report.

Police have not made any arrests in the incident.

Bispo wasn’t injured in the encounter.

Franks had to get 17 stitches but was expected to recover.