A young girl was saved from being stabbed by a homeless woman in Los Angeles in May by a bystander who was slashed in the face for his heroic deed.
John Arias is credited for potentially saving the life of a young girl who was randomly attacked in South Los Angeles while walking to school May 26, KTLA reported. Video of the horrifying incident revealed the moment a homeless woman armed with a box cutter approached the student and struck her in the face. After a brief altercation, Arias can be seen running to assist the child.
ICYMI: Dramatic video captures the moment a homeless woman with a knife attacks a young girl in South Los Angeles before a bystander steps in. https://t.co/P8lZBQe7w2
— KTLA (@KTLA) June 4, 2023
“I saw the homeless person just past me strike the little girl in the face,” Arias told the outlet. “That’s when I ran over to help. Along the way, the homeless person proceeded to take out a weapon and before I could find out what that was, I went for a takedown and I was slashed in the face,” he explained. (RELATED: REPORT: Good Samaritan Shoots Man Who Was Stabbing His Neighbor As She Screamed For Help)
Arias told Fox 11 he was lucky to have been wearing glasses at the time otherwise the perpetrator might have cut his eyes, adding the attack appeared to be a “random” and “hateful” crime.
Victor Camarena, a friend of Arias’, was across the streets when the attack occurred and also responded to the scene. “By that time, John already has the suspect on the floor,” Camarena explained to KTLA. “He’s gushing blood from the side of his face, asking me if it’s bad. I’m like, ‘It’s pretty bad bro.'”
As a father of a daughter himself, Arias stated his parental instincts kicked in when he saw the attack, telling the outlet more people should “stand up to criminals.”
“If everything hadn’t played out the way that it did that morning, from him being late to my house, from me not being able to find my car keys, God only knows what could have happened to that little girl,” Camarena told KTLA, calling his friend, “a hero.”
Authorities arrested the homeless woman for assault with a deadly weapon. Camarena took Arias to the hospital for stitches following the incident, Fox 11 reported.
Though the girl appeared shocked after the attack, she was not harmed in the incident and was able to continue on to school, KTLA reported.