The man who fatally unloaded a gun on Robert .F. Kennedy in 1968 has been stabbed in prison where he was serving his life sentence for the murder at the Richard J Donovan Correctional Facility.
Authorities say that he is in a stable condition and is undergoing specialised treatment.
Sirhan Sirhan's stabbing was confirmed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation which said that officers responded promptly.
"Officers responded quickly and found an inmate with stab wound injuries,” the statement read in part. “He was transported to an outside hospital for medical care, and is currently in stable condition.” It added.
The Guardian, a fleet street publication, reported that the statement did not name Sirhan as the victim of the stabbing.
Sirhan's identity was confirmed by a highly placed source privy to the details of the stabbing.
An investigation into the incident has been launched with the view of establishing the motive.
The suspect said to have stabbed Sirhan has been isolated as investigations continue.
For years, Sirhan has told the press that he has no recollection of the shooting five years ago that he is alleged to have perpetrated.
A judge condemned him to death but that sentence was commuted to life imprisonment after California imposed a moratorium on death sentences.