“The news is not good,” the author’s agent, Andrew Wylie, said in an emailed update. He said Mr. Rushdie might lose an eye and his liver had been damaged. The celebrated author, who has long faced death threats, was stabbed in the neck and abdomen by a 24-year old New Jersey man. A motive was unclear.

Rushdie’s agent, Andrew Wylie, sent an update on his condition shortly before 7 p.m. on Friday, saying Mr. Rushdie was on a ventilator and could not speak.  “The news is not good," he said. "Salman will likely lose one eye; the nerves in his arm were severed; and his liver was stabbed and damaged."

In Fairview, New Jersey, neighbors and onlookers gathered at the corner of Morningside Avenue and 7th street near an address listed as Hadi Matar's. The police blocked off the street leading to the home on Friday evening; an officer said the F.B.I. was investigating

.Salman Rushdie is still in surgery, the police said. A 24-year-old New Jersey man is in custody.
Salman Rushdie was still undergoing surgery as of 5 p.m. on Friday after he was stabbed several hours earlier by an attacker whom the authorities identified as Hadi Matar, a 24-year-old New Jersey man.

According to Maj. Eugene J. Staniszewski of the New York State Police, the suspect, whom he identified as Mr. Matar, jumped onto the stage and attacked Mr. Rushdie, stabbing the 75-year-old writer at least once in the neck and at least once in the abdomen.

Mr. Matar had a pass to get into the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution where Mr. Rushdie was to deliver a lecture, just as other guests did, according to the institution’s president, Michael Hill.

Major Staniszewski said Mr. Matar’s motive was still unknown as of late afternoon on Friday. He said that his agency was investigating the attack with the F.B.I. and the local sheriff’s office. The authorities were in the process of obtaining search warrants for a backpack and for electronic devices that were found at the institution.

There was no immediate indication that Mr. Matar, who lives in Fairview, N.J., had worked with anyone else, Major Staniszewski said, and his nationality was not yet known.

Mr. Rushdie was treated by a doctor in the audience until emergency medical services arrived, Major Staniszewski said. He said that Mr. Rushdie had been taken to a local trauma center.

A backpack apparently belonging to the attacker was checked by a bomb squad, Major Staniszewski said, and was found to be safe. Its contents will be investigated.