TAMPA, Fla. — A local attorney and his son ran to a woman's rescue after seeing a man randomly attack her last week.
The attack happened last Friday, May 5, on W. Watrous Avenue near South Oregon Avenue in Hyde Park, according to police.
Charles McKeon and his son, Dalton, were returning from dinner when they noticed a woman in trouble.
"We heard a woman screaming and saw a woman running from our right to our left and a man chasing her. My son and I ran to help," said Charles McKeon.
Tampa Police said the suspect, identified as 34-year-old Esja Nodopa, grabbed the victim's ponytail from behind and hit her in the face multiple times with a closed fist and which knocked her to the ground.
"I yelled at him to get off of her, get off of her. I drew my firearm and told him I would shoot him and he stopped hitting her and then he came at me and I allowed him to get too close to me and he hit me in the head. I fell, stumbled backward, landed on the concrete, hit my head on the concrete and at that point, things got a little blurry," said Charles.
Charles said the suspect tried to grab his gun, and he fired one shot. Tampa Police said the bullet did not hit anyone, and he acted in self-defense.
Dalton said he got between his father and the suspect. The suspect eventually walked away. Police said officers located the suspect in the area near Rome Avenue and Bayshore Blvd.
"I couldn’t even have a voice. I tried to yell at him to get off my dad, but I just couldn’t even speak. It was all just kind of in shock, I guess you could say," said Dalton.
The 30-year-old victim said she has been released from the hospital and shared photos of her injuries days following the attack. Police said she suffered multiple facial injuries and a concussion.
"It could happen to anyone and we’re just happy she’s okay because this isn’t about us; it’s about her and about people watching their surroundings," said Dalton.
Tampa Police said the suspect was arrested for one count of aggravated battery with great bodily harm and one count of battery.
