Watch: Heroic Grandpa Takes Down Fleeing Armed Suspect

By Joe Saunders May 5, 2018 at 2:12pm

This grandfather might walk with a cane, but he’s quick on his feet.

A video of a Columbus, Ohio, police chase is lighting up social media this week thanks to the actions of a man visiting a public library with his granddaughter, and the action he took to help cops catch an armed suspect fleeing police.

It’s about as smooth as it gets.

Check out a YouTube video here, compiled from police dash cams, body cams, and surveillance cameras from inside the library.

We should all be so agile.

According to a Facebook post from the Columbus Police Department, the incident took place on April 3 when the man identified only as “Bill” was outside the library preparing to leave.

He heard police sirens and saw the chase heading his way. He had to make a choice.

“’Bill’ assessed the situation as fast as he could, cane in hand,” the police post stated. “He heard officers yelling multiple times to drop the gun. ‘Bill’ says with officers lagging a bit behind the suspect he did what he could to help them nab the armed man.

Do you think you'd have had the guts to do what this grandfather did?

“’Bill’ stuck out a back leg to trip the suspect who was running from police. That move likely saved the 18-year-old suspect’s life. It also allowed police to catch up to him to make an arrest.”

The incident might have been a month old, but social media users were cheering Friday when it was getting publicized on Fox News; heroes like this are hard not to like.

WAY TO GO! Now THAT’S #BackingTheBlue!

— Dwight Worden (@shootist11263) May 5, 2018

That back step trip up move, on the POS was perfectly timed and outstanding.

You’re a hero grandpa! pic.twitter.com/wnXkI9SM3h

— Dr. Antlerdance (@Ghostrider189) May 5, 2018

That’s just so awesome! A citizen stepping in (or out lol) to assist police in stopping a dangerous thug! More people should have that mindset over trying to damage them!

— MyKidzDad (@KJVBAPTIST) May 5, 2018

That last post nails it. At a time when abusing cops is almost a routine part of any publicized arrest, the man showed how it can work when cops and civilians are on the same side. Too many liberals obviously don’t realize it, but law enforcement needs help sometimes, too.

According to the police Facebook report, cops found a Glock 9 mm handgun loaded with a high-capacity extended magazine carrying 29 bullets.

It wasn’t clear why police were chasing the man, identified as Shawn Briggs, in the first place, but the Facebook report notes that he already has a lengthy criminal record. Since that’s not easy to do by the age of 18, he’s clearly been headed for trouble for some time.

He just didn’t realize he was heading for it when he ran straight at a grandfather with a cane outside a public library.

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Tags:

Crime, Hero, Politics

Joe Saunders

Story Editor

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Joe has spent more than 30 years as a reporter, copy editor and metro desk editor in newsrooms in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida. He's been with Liftable Media since 2015.

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Joe has spent more than 30 years as a reporter, copy editor and metro editor in newsrooms in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida. He's been with Liftable Media since 2015. Largely a product of Catholic schools, who discovered Ayn Rand in college, Joe is a lifelong newspaperman who learned enough about the trade to be skeptical of every word ever written. He was also lucky enough to have a job that didn't need a printing press to do it.

Birthplace

Philadelphia

Nationality

American