MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida man said he acted on pure instinct when he defended his father from a group of people that, he said, had refused to leave his apartment complex.
Surveillance video captured the tense moments Daniel Lutwak confronted one of several people who, he said, targeted his 60-year-old father, David Lutwak, along busy Normandy Drive in Miami Beach, Friday afternoon.
“I’m just angry that he would go after my dad,” said Daniel.
Daniel said his father had undergone heart surgery about a month ago and is recovering and still weak.
The footage shows David wearing a white shirt as he stood outside of the building he owns. Daniel, seen wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, is seen standing by his side.
Daniel said his father is trying to clean up the building in an effort to stop illegal drug use on the premises.
That’s when father and son encountered this group of people. “All these guys, they don’t even live there in the apartments,” said Daniel.
David said things escalated when he told a group of people to leave.
The video shows a man in the group approaching David. “He starts pushing me, he spit on me, he kicked me,” said David.
The subject is seen throwing a punch in David’s direction, and that’s when Daniel blocked the attacker, putting himself between him and his father.
“I had to jump in. There was no way, you know?” he said.
The subject is then seen lunging at Daniel, but once again he fends off the attacker.
Daniel is seen running after the subject as he sprints toward the back seat of a car.
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“This is an old man we’re talking about. We’re not talking about a young guy,” said a man whose surveillance camera captured the entire incident. “An old man, and people jump out of a car and attack him.”
The man, who asked not to be identified or show his face on camera, said Daniel likely prevented a potential tragedy.
“Luckily, the son was there, ’cause if the son wasn’t there, I believe that something serious could have happened to this man,” he said. “I was very concerned when I saw this video.”
“I was lucky that he was with me, because I don’t know what can happen,” said David.
The owner of the surveillance camera said he is stunned by what he saw. “There are times where we can be unsafe. We have to be very careful. We have to be very vigilant of what’s going on around us,” he said.
Police were able to arrest numerous people. The video shows officers arriving at the scene.
“The police showed up amazingly fast,” said the owner of the surveillance camera. “I think, after the fight broke out, it was probably 20 to 30 seconds that they came, so, a lot to say about the Miami Beach Police Department. They show up very, very quickly. They’re very responsive.”
David said he is counting his blessings and feels grateful his son was with him. “I am his hero, and he is my hero also,” he said.
The subjects are facing either aggravated assault or trespassing charges.
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