A man who allegedly tried to kidnap a woman in Charlotte, North Carolina was taught an important lesson after he chased her into a nearby karate studio.
At 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, Randall Ephraim, sensei of the Bushiken Karate Charlotte Dojo, was cleaning up his dojo when a woman rushed inside asking for help.
“There were still some kids in the dojo being picked up by parents and a couple of adult students cleaning up when a young lady came through our doors and stated that someone was trying to harm her,” he told CNN.
“Shortly afterward, a big male entered the building,” he said. “Not knowing what he wanted, I assumed he was inquiring about classes.”
“I asked how I could assist him and he stated that he was there for the lady. She insisted that she did not know him and tried to kidnap her.”
The man, identified as 47-year-old August Williams, tried to force the victim into his car, but she was able to break free and run into the studio for help.
Ephraim asked the man to leave, but instead of complying, “he then tried to force himself further into the dojo, aggressively pushing and swinging,” the instructor said.
“I then went into action defending myself and got him out of the dojo. Once outside he attempted to attack again and was dealt with accordingly.”
CNN reports that the suspect was carried out on a stretcher after his bout with the head instructor. Additionally, he tried to assault police officers right before he was arrested. He was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries.
According to police, Williams was on drugs during the incident and has a history of drug use and assault.
“It’s a great thing the people in there were able to help defend her, extremely lucky that it was a karate studio and usually you don’t see a suspect act like this,” Capt. JD Thomas, with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, told WSOC.
