By Police1 Staff
COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio police department is thanking a man who helped them catch a fleeing suspect.
WNBC reports that a man, identified as “Bill,” was at a library with his granddaughter when he heard a gunshot and saw a man with a hand in his waistband running from police. As the man approached Bill, who uses a cane, he deftly slid his leg backwards and tripped the suspect, enabling police to arrest him.
“I had one opportunity and I had to make the choice if I was going to act or if I was going to be a bystander,” Bill told Inside Edition.
Commander Scott Highland said Bill may have saved many lives, including the suspect’s, due to his actions.
“It scares me to death what may have been going through that young man’s mind and I fear he, for a split second, had some very ill intentions,” the officer said.
Police recovered a pistol and 29 rounds of ammunition after arresting the suspect, who they said has a lengthy arrest record.