James Hidalgo was walking his dog at Crissy Field in San Francisco on Sunday when a man approached him and tried to throw a punch. What the attacker didn’t know: Hidalgo is a U.S. Marine veteran and a martial arts teacher. Hidalgo dodged the swing, took the man down, and pinned him on the ground until U.S. Park Police arrived and arrested the suspect.
The wildest part? A KRON-TV news crew was already in the park covering a completely unrelated story, and their camera captured the entire brawl. The footage has since gone viral, with people online praising Hidalgo for keeping his composure and handling the situation without escalating beyond what was necessary.
Hidalgo was checked out by paramedics at the scene and says he plans to press charges. The suspect has not been publicly identified. Hidalgo summed it up simply:“He just ran into the wrong person.”
What would you do if you found yourself in a situation like this? Would you know how to protect yourself?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.