Authorities are searching for a man in California who reportedly attacked a 13-year-old girl on her way home from school. She was able to fend off her attacker using martial arts training.
According to a report by People, police say the man ambushed the student as she was walking home and hid between two parked cars. He allegedly sprang out of his hiding place to punch her in the face. Per ABC 7, the teen has trained in Jiu-Jitsu for three years.
Jiu-Jitsu is a form of martial arts. No weapons are involved, and the practitioner uses joint locks, pins, and submission holds to subdue their opponents. The fighting style is so effective that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is commonplace at the highest level of MMA.
The teen’s teacher, Sensei Michael Blackburn, explained, “She punched him, she got him in a headlock and knee’d him a couple of times.” He added, “When she threw him to the ground, she broke his ankle.” After the student floored her attacker, she ran home to safety.
The Teen’s Attacker Is Still At Large
Despite the beating and a broken bone, Carmel Police report the suspect is still at large. Authorities say they believe the suspect is 6 feet tall with a muscular build. He also has a damaged left foot after the scuffle. Police admit they don’t have any solid leads but have released a sketch of the suspect. “The person was acting unusual,” Officer Todd Treyer said, “Like potentially under the influence of something or dealing with some other personal issues.”
Blackburn was clearly saddened that his student was attacked, but praised the teen for putting her training to good use. “I told her we were proud of her. She did exactly what she was supposed to do. You have to fight in class like you’re going to protect yourself on the street.”
He also said that it highlighted the importance and benefits of martial arts training. According to People, he reportedly said, “If a parent can get their child to a class, even if it’s a weekend class, to learn something, it’s so beneficial because there’s so much out there nowadays that it’s really scary.”