The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told Blaze News that deputies responded just before 1 p.m. Wednesday to the 900 block of North Sweetzer Avenue in West Hollywood regarding an armed robbery call.
According to the victim, a dark-colored sedan was seen traveling down the street at a high rate of speed before stopping near his location, authorities said.
The driver didn’t need directions.
‘At one point the guy’s arm got dislocated …’
The sheriff’s department told Blaze News that an adult black male wearing a mask exited the vehicle holding a semiautomatic handgun and demanded the victim’s Rolex watch.
But the victim refused to comply, and a physical struggle ensued, authorities said.
Patrick McCloskey told KTLA-TV he was working from home when he heard a woman screaming from the sidewalk: “The chaos was so intense, I didn’t know who jumped who. I ran to the door to see what was happening. At that point, I hear her yell, ‘Get the gun, get the gun!’”
Apparently getting hold of the gun wasn’t too difficult for the victim, as McCloskey explained to the station that the gunman “didn’t know that the guy was a retired wrestler. So he was able to get the gun off the guy and wrestle him down.”
Video of the incident’s aftermath shows the victim — who didn’t want to be identified — telling a deputy that he grabbed the gunman’s wrist and put him on the ground before taking the gun away, KTLA reported.
The victim’s girlfriend then threw the gun over a nearby fence, and he held the suspect down until police arrived, the station said.
The sheriff’s department told Blaze News that a second adult male suspect exited the vehicle during the struggle but fled the scene in the dark-colored sedan prior to the arrival of deputies.
Responding deputies recovered the gun and took the suspect into custody without further incident, officials said.
“I was told the gun was loaded,” McCloskey noted to KTLA. “The guy who is sort of the hero in all of this, who was able to pin the guy down, told me he saw a bullet in the chamber.”
McCloskey added to the station that the retired wrestler showed no mercy in his struggle with the gunman: “At one point the guy’s arm got dislocated, and he just held him down.”
Video that KTLA obtained from the scene shows deputies arresting the suspect and recovering the gun allegedly used during the incident, the station said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information about the investigation is urged to contact LASD’s West Hollywood Station, KTLA added.
Commenters on KTLA’s Facebook post about the ordeal seemed pleased with the outcome:
“FAFO at its best. Way to go!” one commenter said.”This is why California needs to be open carry like Texas!” another user declared.”Need more people like this hero to fight back!” another commenter said.”You never know who you messing with,” another user observed.”News like this [is] soooooo satisfying!” another commenter exclaimed.
Blaze News had asked the sheriff’s department for the name of the suspect as well as his age, charge or charges against him, any past offenses, and his arrest photo, but officials did not provide that information.
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Crime thwarted, Retired wrestler, Physical attack, Arrest, Turning the tables, Los angeles county sheriff’s department, Attempted theft, West hollywood, Fighting back, Self-defense, Crime
