Woman’s throat slashed in Midtown robbery

Marla Franks had to get 17 stitches after she tried to fight off a robber at Juniper and 5th streets. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)

Marla Franks had to get 17 stitches after she tried to fight off a robber at Juniper and 5th streets. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)

A woman was paying for parking in Midtown Sunday afternoon when a man slashed her throat and grabbed her handbag, Atlanta police said.

Marla Franks was at a pay station at Juniper and 5th streets when the man tried to take her purse off her shoulder, according to an Atlanta police incident report.

She resisted and held onto the bag.

“I will hurt you,” police said the man told Franks.

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.