Carjacking victim was fighting with suspect, Florida cops say. Then witness pulls gun

A gas station patron is being lauded for bravery after he rushed to help someone struggling with a suspected carjacker, according to investigators in Florida.

The “good Samaritan drew his firearm” on the suspect and waited for police, the Ormond Beach Police Department said in a June 2 news release. Ormond Beach is about a 60-mile drive northeast of Orlando.

“Upon arrival, officers found one of the vehicle’s occupants holding onto (the suspect’s) leg, preventing her escape,” police said. “The owners of the car are uninjured.”

The identity of the good Samaritan was not released.

Investigators say the incident happened around 10:50 a.m. Saturday, June 1, at an Exxon station, where a woman tried “to forcibly take a vehicle occupied by an elderly couple.”

The couple refused to cooperate and the good Samaritan witnessed enough to realize they needed help, officials said. He told police he pulled his gun “to ensure the safety of those involved but subsequently put it away since he did not see (the suspect) reach for a weapon.”

Ormond Beach Police Chief Robert “Jesse” Godfrey praised his decision, noting witnesses to a crime should “offer assistance while maintaining a safe distance.”

“Our officer’s quick response, the bravery of the good Samaritan, and the resilience of the elderly couple were instrumental in preventing a potentially dangerous situation from escalating,” Godfrey said in the release.

The 36-year-old suspect resisted being arrested and was charged with carjacking, burglary with assault, and resisting an officer, police said. She lives in Jacksonville, about an 85-mile drive north of Ormond Beach.

This story was originally published June 3, 2024 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Carjacking victim was fighting with suspect, Florida cops say. Then witness pulls gun."