Father, Stepson Rescue Woman Being Beaten In Bushwick, Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A father and his stepson, who are both karate instructors, came to the rescue of a woman in Bushwick, Brooklyn when a man beat and tried to rape her Tuesday, police say.
Luis Ruiz if a fifth-degree black belt, and his stepson, Antonio Pina, is a third-degree, CBS2's Christine Sloan reported. They were in the right place at the right time near the corner of McKibbon and White streets around midnight.
"I think God sent us there to take care of her," Pina said.
The men were coming home when they heard the 27-year-old victim screaming. When they looked down the street, they noticed the suspect dragging the woman.
"We notice that he's grabbing her and slamming her on the ground. So I say 'hey, is everything OK, are you guys OK?' The guy gets up like nothing, turns to his right and walks away like he wasn't doing anything wrong," Ruiz said.
Ruiz told his stepson to follow the suspect, identified as Todd Deas, while he called for help.
Deas had 19 prior arrests, including sealed rape and sexual abuse. He was recently released on parole, Sloan reported.
"When she looks up at me, I see her face is swollen beyond recognition and she's bleeding," Ruiz said.
The beating was so severe, the victim begged Ruiz to stay with her before passing out.
"What I remember the most she grabbed my arm and said 'please don't leave, please don't leave,'" Ruiz said.
She told Ruiz she was on her way home from a synagogue. Police said the last the she remembered was waking up in an ambulance.
Her roommate told CBS2 she is with her parents trying to recover.
Meanwhile, people are calling Ruiz and Pina heroes.
"Hero is a big word. I'd rather think we just did the right thing, and that everyone in the neighborhood and in the world would do the right thing," Ruiz said.
Police said Deas lived in a men's shelter. He was charged with attempted rape, assault and strangulation.
