Mosque Stabbing Defendant Receives Fifteen-Year Sentence

Prosecutors in DA Charme Allen’s Major Crimes Unit obtained a conviction against the defendant who stabbed a man in the heart at a local mosque. Daniel Jay Porter, 34, pled guilty-as-charged to Attempted First Degree Murder and received a sentence of fifteen years without the possibility of parole.

In a hearing before Judge Steve Sword, Assistant District Attorney Hector Sanchez announced that on April 8, 2019, Knoxville Police Department Investigator Alan Cook responded to a stabbing at the Muslim Community of Knoxville, located in Fort Sanders at 100 13th Street. Witness interviews and surveillance video revealed that Porter was eating in an area of the mosque near the victim, Shadab Siddiqi, and another individual. Porter became angry and started arguing with Siddiqi. During the argument, Porter grabbed a steak knife and stabbed Siddiqi once in the heart, puncturing his aorta. Siddiqi underwent emergency open-heart surgery at UT Medical Center, saving his life. As a result of his injury, Siddiqi suffered several strokes, affecting his ability to speak.

“This dangerous offender admitted he intended to stab the victim,” said DA Charme Allen.”The only reason Mr. Siddiqi is still here is because of the fast work of first responders and the surgical team who saved his life.”

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.