By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-07-23 22:14:53 | Updated at 2026-07-28 20:02:12
4 days ago
A Detroit youth program leader was the victim of a vicious attack that has left him unable to communicate except through blinks and nods two weeks later.
Lonn Hartman, 37, was found naked hanging out of a tent with two deep gashes just above and below his collarbone on the morning of July 12, according to his friends. He had lost eight pints of blood and was rushed to a hospital.
The youth program leader, who works for nonprofit Friends of the Children Detroit, was found at Blissfest, a music festival in northern Michigan's Harbor Springs about 280 miles northwest of Detroit near the Canadian border. He had attended the festival with a dance partner and a few others to perform.
The night before he was found badly injured, Hartman had gone to bed early after the performance. A close friend of his, Terace Garnier, told WXYZ that Hartman had sent an unnerving text shortly before the attack.
'We know someone did this to him because he sent a text message just hours before this attack occurred telling a friend that he did not feel safe, that he was not with safe people,' Garnier told the outlet.
As of Thursday, nearly two weeks since Hartman was found with his horrific injuries, he is still in the hospital, and police have not made any arrests or identified any suspects.
Friends have said that although Hartman is currently still unable to speak and can only communicate by nodding and blinking, he has been recovering relatively well considering the extent of his injuries.
Garnier told FOX2: '"It was looking like he shouldn’t be alive right now," is basically what they were saying with the amount of blood that he lost.'
Lonn Hartman, 37, a Detroit youth program leader, was the victim of a vicious attack at Blissfest music festival in northern Michigan
Hartman was found naked hanging out of a tent at the festival on the morning of June 12. He had deep gashes just above and below his collarbone
Hartman has been in the hospital since he was found and can only communicate through blinks and nods. He is pictured with a close friend, Terace Garnier (center)
Friends have also said that they believe the youth leader was the victim of a hate crime.
Paul Gross, one of Hartman's friends, told FOX2 that he believes Hartman being a 'young Black man' in a 'predominately white area' had something to do with the attack.
The Emmet County Sheriff's Office, which has been investigating the crime, released an update on Monday saying the 'investigation has been treated with the utmost importance and remains an active priority for our agency.'
'To date, several items have been collected and transported to the Michigan State Police Crime Laboratory for forensic examination and processing,' the sheriff's office added.
'Investigators have conducted numerous interviews, and additional leads, tips, and information continue to be actively pursued.'
The sheriff's office also said that it has been in contact with Hartman's mother, father and partner to provide regular updates, and it urged anyone with information to reach out.
Still, Hartman's friends appear unsatisfied with the lack of answers or consequences for his attackers.
In a GoFundMe organized by Garnier to help cover her friend's mounting medical expenses, she said: 'Since the attack, we have struggled to get answers.
Blissfest music festival, where Hartman was attacked, is located about 280 miles northwest of Detroit along the border with Canada. A crowd at the festival is pictured
Friends believe that Hartman was the victim of a hate crime because he was in a predominantly white area. He is pictured with a loved one
Friends of Hartman appear to be unsatisfied with the investigation into the attack, as no suspects have been identified or arrests made. He is pictured with loved ones
'To date, there has been little public information about this incident, and we feel that many of our questions remain unanswered.'
Garnier told FOX2 that even as he recovers from his devastating injuries in the hospital, Hartman is still worried about the underprivileged children he mentors in Detroit.
'I told him, I said ‘hey I got an update for you. Your kids miss you, and they want you to know they say they miss Mr. Lonn,’" she told the outlet.
'And as soon as I said that, tears just started streaming down his face. Even in the hospital bed he’s still thinking about his kids.'
Following the attack on Hartman, Blissfest released a statement that said in part: 'We all share a commitment to prioritizing safety during the festival and appreciate the prompt and professional response rendered by all parties.
'Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the individual involved, their family, and their friends during this incredibly difficult time.'
