Armed Teacher Runs Out Nearly Naked to Rescue Girl from Sexual Assault
A Texas middle school teacher is being praised as a hero after he intervened to save a 15-year-old girl who was being attacked outside his home, as captured in a dramatic video.
The incident occurred on Houston’s east side around 12:30 a.m. on July 28 when the assailant followed the teenager into a gated apartment complex after she got off a Metro bus, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
David Garza, the teacher, heard the girl’s screams for help from outside his apartment and rushed out, nearly unclothed, to intervene.
“I looked out the window and saw a man assaulting a woman on the ground, trying to take her clothes off,” Garza told KHOU..
Without hesitation, Garza grabbed his gun and ran outside to confront the attacker, as shown in security footage. He described how the suspect had the girl by her hair.
“I ran outside and asked what was going on. The girl screamed, ‘I’m 15, help me!’ I pointed the gun at him and told him to get off her,” Garza recounted.
Video footage from the incident shows Garza, shirtless, holding the handgun on his front porch and shouting, “Get away from her! Hey! Come here!”
A neighbor told KHOU they believe Garza’s actions prevented a potential tragedy.
“At first, I was scared, I thought she was going to get raped. I think if he didn’t come out, she would have gotten raped,” the neighbor said.
Garza revealed that this wasn’t the first time he’s had to chase down someone attacking a child and stated that he would not hesitate to do it again, despite his own fear.
“I think it’s something anyone else would have done — come help a child,” Garza said. “She needed help more than I was afraid, so I had to do it.”
Andy Kahan, a victim advocate for Houston Crime Stoppers, expressed gratitude for Garza’s actions.
“I take my hat off to you,” Kahan told the outlet.
Authorities are seeking any information about the suspect, who was wearing a black hoodie with a white Reebok logo, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes at the time of the attack.