SALISBURY, N.C. — A bystander who stepped in to help police officers during a knife attack outside a fast-food restaurant Sunday night likely saved an officer's life, authorities said.

Salisbury Police officers responded to a disturbance call at the Cookout restaurant on East Innes Street at approximately 8:15 p.m., according to the police department.

The first officer to arrive encountered a man armed with a knife. When a second officer arrived, a struggle broke out and the suspect began swinging the knife, causing minor injuries to one officer, police said.

A bystander then intervened to help the officers and sustained several lacerations to his left hand while preventing the officer from suffering additional stab wounds, according to police.

The second officer deployed a Taser twice

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