A brave Hispanic high school teacher in Houston, Texas, is being hailed as a hero after stepping in to save a 15-year-old girl from sexual assault.
The incident, which occurred last Sunday just before midnight on Houston’s east side, has shocked the community and sparked an intense search for the suspect.
David Garza, the Hispanic teacher in question, recounted how desperate cries for help alerted him to the situation. “I looked out the window and saw a man beating a woman on the ground. He was trying to take her clothes off,” Garza told investigators from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Without hesitation, Garza grabbed his gun and confronted the attacker. “I ran upstairs and grabbed my gun. Then I went outside and asked what was going on. The girl screamed, ‘I’m 15 years old. Help me.’ So I pointed my gun at her,” the teacher explained.
Garza’s quick intervention allowed the victim to escape to a nearby apartment where she knew someone. A neighbor who witnessed the incident from her window praised the teacher’s actions, saying he likely prevented a rape. According to investigators, the teen had been followed by the suspect after getting off a bus. The attacker chased her into an apartment complex, where the attack began.
Crime Stoppers victim advocate Andy Kahan expressed gratitude for Garza’s quick action. “I take my hat off to that,” Kahan said. But he also stressed the urgency of capturing the suspect before he can attack another person.
“If you’re willing to do this where everyone is around and people can see what you’re doing, it makes me wonder: A. Is this your first time? B. We need to get them off the streets before they continue to hurt girls again,” Kahan added.
Houston authorities are looking for the attacker arrested by the Hispanic teacher
Authorities have released a description of the suspect, who was wearing a black hoodie with a white Reebok logo, blue jeans and white tennis shoes at the time of the attack. Anyone with information about his identity or whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers immediately.
For his part, Garza, despite being considered a hero, maintains a humble stance. “I was scared too. I’m not going to lie, but she needed help more than I feared, so I had to do it,” the teacher confessed. Surprisingly, the teacher revealed that this was not the first time he had faced an aggressor who tried to harm a minor.
This incident has highlighted the importance of community policing and rapid action in emergency situations. It has also sparked a debate about safety on public transport and in residential areas, especially for minors.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the case and have increased police presence in the area. In the meantime, support lines have been set up for the victim and her family, and information sessions on personal safety are being held in local schools.
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