9OYS Crime Watch

"I thought I was going to die": Good Samaritan recounts vicious Walmart attack on woman

CREATED Oct. 19, 2012

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  • It's a woman's worst nightmare, a blitz attack in the middle of the night when nobody's around to help. It happened to one woman earlier this week just outside a midtown Walmart. But in this case, a complete stranger helped her fight back. Video by kgun9.com

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  • Police are still looking for the man in this surveillance photo. If you have any idea who he is, call 911 or 88-crime.

Reporter: Marcelino Benito

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) -    It's a woman's worst nightmare, a blitz attack in the middle of the night when nobody's around to help. It happened to one woman earlier this week just outside a midtown Walmart. But in this case, a complete stranger helped her fight back.

For Karl it was just another trip to Walmart Sunday night. Just a quick trip to pick up some Benadryl. As he got closer to the doors, he saw the suspect make his move.

"He just started slamming her and hitting her as hard as he could in the face," said Karl.

Police say there's surveillance video, but it's too graphic to show the public.

"Yeah, I don't think she had any idea what was happening," Karl said.

Police did release surveillance photographs that capture snippets of the attack. Karl doesn't need to look at the photographs. Every moment of that night is engrained in his memory. He experienced it up close.

"I was scared, but I felt she really needed help," said Karl. "She was screaming at the top of her lungs and nobody was coming to her right in front of Walmart."

He says instinct told him to step in.

"I kicked him pretty hard in the face," Karl said. "He flew back and pulled out a gun. It looked like a Glock. He pointed it at me."

Karl tells 9OYS it was the longest few seconds of his life.

"I thought I was going to die I really did," Karl said. "I had just kicked the guy in the face. I thought he was going to shoot me. I thought that was my last couple seconds breathing."

The crook didn't shoot. Instead he ripped the purse away from the woman and jumped into the getaway car, but not before dragging the victim for several hundred feet. Despite Karl's efforts, the victim suffered serious injuries.

Karly says he hasn't been able to meet the brave woman in these pictures yet. For now he wants to send her and her family a message.

"I'm so sorry this happened to your family member," he said. "Our family sends our love to you. I hope you guys can get through this."

The victim remains in the hospital in critical, but stable condition.

The man involved in the purse-snatching was described as a Hispanic man in his 20s. He is approximately five-feet-six-inches tall, weighing about 160 pounds. He was seen wearing a white T-shirt with an unknown emblem on the front and very baggy shorts that had dark stripes on the sides, Widmer said

The driver of the vehicle was described as a Hispanic male with a thin build, wearing a dark shirt and dark pants. The vehicle was described as a silver Chevy Impala with chrome wheels and a sunroof.

TPD says they are getting 88-crime tips related to the case, but so far no arrests to report. If you have any information that can help call 911 or 88-crime.