A young girl from California, just 13 years old, used skills she picked up in a martial arts class to fend off an assailant while walking home from school earlier this month. Law enforcement is still working to identify the man responsible for the attack.
The incident took place in Carmel-by-the-Sea on May 6, KSBW reported.
“When she was halfway home, a man emerged from between two cars and tried to hit her in the face, but she successfully blocked the attack,” recounted Michael Blackburn, who has been her jujitsu instructor for three years at the Carmel Youth Center.
“She retaliated quickly, delivering punches, putting him in a headlock, kneeing him multiple times, spinning him around, throwing him to the ground, and stepping on his foot,” Blackburn described.
Then, the girl ran home while the attacker was still on the ground.
Carmel Police Commander Todd Trayer said investigators don’t have a lead on the man’s identity, but they did release a sketch.
“We’re doing everything we can to figure out who this person is that’s responsible for what happened,” said Trayer, who added that the attacker “was acting unusual” and may be been under the influence.
Blackburn said he told his student “we’re proud of her, and she did exactly what she was supposed to do.”
“You don’t see it very often where a juvenile is brave like that,” Trayer said. “To have that type of self-confidence, that awareness, to be a quick decision maker and make a decision that’s going to keep themselves safe.”
The 13-year-old girl hopes her story serves as a reminder to other young women that knowing self-defense can save their lives.
Police ask anyone with any information about the person in the sketch or who has any surveillance footage to contact police via email at ttrayer@ci.carmel.ca.us.
