Gabriel Pitzulo is hailed as “hero” after he tackled a man who assaulted a worker at a Subway restaurant in Indianapolis.
The incident happened on March 22 at the Subway on E. Hanna Ave.
Surveillance video shows the suspect Daniel Saunders verbally and physically attacking the worker just as Pitzulo walked in.
Pitzulo told WRTV he went to Subway on his lunch break to buy his usual sweet onion, chicken teriyaki foot long sandwich.
“I had walked in and he was visibly assaulting, you know, throwing stuff. I believe I saw him spit at her,” explained Pitzulo. “How I was raised, you don’t do that stuff. It was kind of go time from there.”
Video footage shows Pitzulo tackle Saunders from behind and take him down to the floor where he held him until police arrived.
“I was afraid that he was either leaving to get something to harm her,” Pitzulo told WRTV.
Pitzulo relied on his wrestling training to control Saunders until the cops got there.
“I did combat sports for quite a while, so I was completely controlling. He (was) trying to bite me and I didn’t want to punch him or anything. I didn’t want to hurt him too bad. I just held him in place.”
Distict Manager Aara Khan was thankful that Pitzulo was there to help his employee. Khan called Pitzulo a “hero”.
“It could’ve turned out very dangerous. Luckily he was here at the right time and the right place,” said Khan.
“You can be a hero anytime, anywhere you go. Right place, right time and that guy is a hero.”
“All glory to God, man,” said Pitzulo. “He’s always protected me and put me in situations He knows He can notice that I can handle. I don’t feel like a hero, but I’m glad I did.”
Saunders was arrested and charged with Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury.
