HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Newly released surveillance video captured the tense moments two teens approached a man in a downtown Hollywood alleyway and snatched his cellphone at gunpoint.
Henry Mahan spoke with 7News about the Feb. 13 incident on Friday.
“I didn’t believe it was real,” he said.
The footage shows the victim taking a smoke break from work along the 2000 block of Harrison Street, at around 1:30 p.m., when the subjects are seen walking toward him. One of them is seen holding a firearm.
“Nothing about it made sense,” said Mahan.
The victim said he had not seen the video until a 7News crew showed it to him.
He said the teen holding the gun told him not to move, but he decided to act against that command.
“It’s definitely not how they expected me to react,” said Mahan.
The victim said he just trusted his instincts.
“Basically, my instincts told me he didn’t want to shoot me as much as I didn’t want to stick around and be victimized,” said Mahan.
The surveillance video showed Mahan actually walking toward the subject with the gun when, all of a sudden, the other teen, seen wearing a yellow shirt, smacked his phone out of his hand.
It was a move that, Mahan said, could have unintentionally saved his life.
“If he had not smacked the phone out of my hand in the next second, things were going to go sideways, and someone was definitely going to get hurt,” he said. “Most likely it would have been me.”
The teens took his phone and took off. Hollywood Police believe they are between the ages of 15 to 19.
Mahan said he now hopes the public can use the surveillance video to help find them.
“I’m just hoping that these kids don’t hurt anyone else,” he said.
If you have any information on this robbery, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.
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