RARE INSTANCE IN WHICH A PRIVATE CITIZEN COMES TO THE AID OF A COP WRESTLING WITH A SUSPECT

In most instances private citizens would be afraid to risk their lives by coming to the aid of an officer, while in some cases they would actually cheer for the suspect.

GOOD SAMARITAN SAVES STOCKTON POLICE OFFICER FROM GANG MEMBER
The man held the gang member’s hand down when he saw he was trying to rip the gun from the officer’s holster

News10/KXTV
March 8, 2013

STOCKTON, CA - Two vigilant neighbors helped take down a documented gang member after he tried to disarm a Stockton police officer.

The incident began on Canterbury Drive Thursday afternoon when neighbor Frank Hummel noticed a suspicious man standing near his neighbor's car.

"I saw him go up to the house here and go up to the car and break into it, so I called 911," Hummel said.

Hummel kept his eyes on the man until an officer showed up, but the officer's partner was still a ways away.

"He was by himself and when he pulled up he immediately pulled his gun out and told the young guy to get down on the ground and he didn't. He took off running," Hummel recalled.

The officer called for backup, but decided to pursue the suspect on his own. The suspect ran through the neighborhood, up to El Dorado, before running behind Albierto's Restaurant.

Joseph Locaso and his wife were on their way home when they spotted the suspect running and the officer taking off after him.

"He was putting up a good fight," Locaso said. "He wasn't going to go down and I was just concerned for the officer."

When Locaso and his wife pulled into Albierto's restaurant, they found the cop and suspect wrestling on the ground. That's when Locaso jumped out to help.

"I had no choice. They were on the ground. The guy was trying to rip the gun out of the cop's holster," Locaso said. "I jumped out and grabbed the guy's arm off the gun and held it down."

The officer was able to cuff the suspect with Locaso's help before backup arrived. Stockton police said the department is very grateful to Locaso for jumping in.

"We're very fortunate a citizen saw what was going on and made the decision to get involved, because if that suspect was able to unholster that gun, we don't know what could've happened," Officer Joe Silva said.

Stockton police arrested Phyrun Dok, 28, for burglary and resisting arrest.