A carjacker attacked a woman at a gas station, believing she would be an easy target to rob. When he finally realized he had chosen the wrong victim, it was too late.
At around 10:30 p.m., a 35-year-old woman pulled over at a gas station and convenience store at North 22nd Street and West Allegheny Avenue in North Philadelphia. She planned on filling up her gas tank when she was suddenly accosted by a violent criminal willing to use whatever means necessary to rob her. However, she wasn’t as helpless as he initially suspected.
The 22-year-old car thief approached the unnamed woman from behind and wrapped his arms around her, placing her in a bear hug in order to subdue her. Instead, he was surprised when the woman instantly fought back almost as if she had been trained to do so. He would soon learn the identity of his intended victim and why he had made a huge mistake.
WPVI reports that surveillance video shows the man detaining the woman from behind as the victim boldly fights off her attacker. The male suspect wanted her BMW and would stop at nothing to get it. Although she puts up a good fight, it is not enough to overpower the violent criminal. Still, the woman wasn’t willing to give up her vehicle so easily.
Seeing that his victim isn’t giving in, the thief pulls out a gun, assuming that a firearm will do the trick. However, he was in for quite the shock when she too whipped out her gun and pointed it directly at him. What the thug failed to realize was that the easy target he had chosen was actually a state prison correctional sergeant.
Both the attacker and the sergeant unloaded their weapons, firing at least 11 rounds in total. It was a fight for survival, and neither was backing down.
“The cameras clearly show the 35-year-old putting gas in her BMW vehicle when the male approaches her and grabs her, puts her in a bear hug from behind and then there’s a physical altercation and they both pull weapons and they shoot each other,” said Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Officers patrolling the area overheard gunshots and immediately responded to the scene. There, they found the pair wounded and administered first aid before emergency medical services could arrive.
KYW-TV reports that the woman and her attacker were taken to Temple University Hospital in stable condition. However, the injuries weren’t equal. While the woman was struck twice in the lower leg, she managed to hit the suspect in his leg and lower back.
Although the suspect’s identity was not immediately released, police confirmed that he had been arrested and booked for attempting to steal the woman’s car. The woman isn’t suspected of any wrongdoing, as the surveillance video reportedly shows her being attacked.
The female sergeant has been praised for her bravery and for managing to get the upper hand on her attacker. Even though she was overpowered and caught off-guard, she managed to summon her skills and training to defend herself against a possibly deadly carjacker.
The scenario shows the importance of being well-armed and prepared at all times. While the woman has had specialized training, it doesn’t take having a badge and uniform to properly protect oneself from dangerous threats.
