A family of taekwondo instructors in Texas intervened to stop a man from sexually assaulting a woman near their dojo and detained him until authorities arrived, according to officials.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez of Harris County, encompassing Houston, commended Han An, his wife Hong An, and their three children – Hannah, Simon, and Christian – for their swift action in protecting others. He described them as "good Samaritans" who rushed to the woman's aid.
While it's generally advised for bystanders to alert the police rather than directly intervene in such situations, the An family's expertise in taekwondo made them an exception. Operating the Yong-In taekwondo dojo in Katy, all members hold black belts of varying degrees in the martial art, known for its emphasis on kicks.
The incident occurred around 2 pm as the Ans were preparing for their evening classes. Han An observed a young man on a bicycle behaving suspiciously near neighboring stores, initially dismissing it as harmless. However, when they heard screams coming from a nearby cellphone store, they realized the situation was grave.
Upon entering the store, they discovered the man attempting to sexually assault a female employee. Han An swiftly subdued the assailant, identified as 19-year-old Alex Robinson, and pinned him to the ground while his sons assisted.
Despite sustaining bites and scratches from Robinson, the family managed to detain him until sheriff's deputies arrived. Robinson was subsequently arrested on charges of attempted sexual assault and unlawful detention of the employee, with additional assault charges filed against him for attacking the Ans.
The Ans, who emphasized integrity and indomitable spirit in their taekwondo teachings, downplayed their actions as simply doing what was right. Simon An remarked that intervening to prevent harm was the natural course of action in such a situation.
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