'Hero' grandad, 73, battered and bruised after risking life to fight off armed thug trying to carjack woman
HOUSTON, TEXAS: A 73-year-old grandfather rushed to help a woman who was being robbed at gunpoint and got into a fight with the robber, according to authorities in Texas. The man was beaten to a pulp after he attempted to fight off an armed robber on September 7. A shocking new video from the Houston Police Department showed Simon Mancilla Sr, 73, attempting to remove the shooter from the victim's black 2011 GMC Sierra truck. The senior is promptly pistol-whipped in the face by the unidentified suspect, who also causes him to bleed.
Unfazed, Mancilla continues to punch and pull the guy out of the car in front of shocked witnesses. Mancilla, 73, was then tossed off the speeding car as another guy appears to rush in to assist him, but the suspect was able to drive away. Mancilla told local news station KHOU 11 that he saw the suspect choke the female motorist while passing in the parking lot of a check-cashing store in north Houston. Before diving in to try to help the victim, he claimed he warned the other man to back off.
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The 73-year-old was seen drenched in blood following his altercation with the shooter and was seen needing multiple stitches. His son told KHOU 11 that Mancilla's eyes were completely covered in blood from the pistol whips, so he could only swing wildly to try and detain the robber. Mancilla responded that it was the only thing he could do when questioned about why he went in to stop the armed thief. “I don't have any choice,” he remarked.
The robber is still on the loose while police are looking into the crime. The woman's stolen truck is still missing. The stolen truck was described as a 2011 GMC Sierra with the last four VIN 0351. Police are currently asking anyone having any information on this case, to get in touch with Crime Stoppers of Houston directly. There is currently a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the gunman's arrest.
To remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward, informants must contact Crime Stoppers directly by dialing 713-222-TIPS (8477), submitting an online tip at www.crime-stoppers.org, or using the Crime Stoppers mobile app. Meanwhile, according to reports, only 14 per cent of carjackings since 2019 have led to an arrest. There were 1,216 carjackings in 2018, up 20 per cent from 2019 and 10 per cent from 2020. Senior Officer Jeff Brieden of the HPD's Robbery Division told KHOU 11 that the city's increasing violent crime rate is a "disturbing trend and it bothers all of us."