SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have arrested a man who, they said, is behind an attempted strong-armed robbery at a Popeyes in Southwest Miami-Dade.
Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue crews responded to the fast food restaurant along Southwest 112th Avenue and 152nd Street just after 11:30 a.m., Thursday.
“Next thing I heard ‘Pop! Pop! Pop!’ When I look across, I saw people started running,” witness Gary Richards said.
Cellphone video captured the crook attempting to rob a man in the parking lot of the fast food restaurant when a good Samaritan fired a warning shot into the air.
“He was just punching on the guy. I had to stop him,” said Eula, the good Samaritan.
The attempted robber then fled the scene, leaving the victim bleeding and badly injured, and he made his way into the backyard of a home nearby.
“When I looked by the Popeyes and saw this man, he had blood from his head all the way down to his clothes,” Richard said.
When responding officers arrived, he tried to leave the scene once more but was taken into custody shortly after.
The good Samaritan explained her reason for risking her life to intervene.
“It’s intense; it was an intense moment,” said Eula. “I had no control over it. It was an intense moment.”
Witnesses said after the suspect fled the scene, the victim appeared to be OK.
“He was standing up, and taking some papers out of his pocket to give to the police,” said Richards. “The ambulance came, they checked him out then they took him to the hospital.”
“I just had to save a guy’s life,” said Eula. “That’s all I did, just try to save a guy’s life.”
Three nearby schools were placed on lockdown as a result of the robbery. The lockdowns have since been lifted.
The names of the parties involved have not been revealed.
The condition of the victim remains unknown.
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