A guy allegedly started randomly hitting innocent passersby as they walked along a sidewalk in Manhattan’s Soho shopping area. According to witnesses, Samuel Frazier, 28, punched multiple persons in the face and head as they went by.
Witnesses said Frazier surprised his victims with unexpected strikes, sucker striking them while they weren’t looking. He would have likely continued his vicious binge if he hadn’t ran upon Ro Malabanan, a 44-year-old professional fighter.
Frazier allegedly walked down the sidewalk after leaving many battered victims in his path, scouting for his next victim. When he reared back and smacked another person in the back of the head, Ro Malabanan, a competent mixed martial artist, stepped in.
Malabanan, a 44-year-old boxing teacher with a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a yellow belt in judo, was walking to work when he observed Frazier assault a construction worker. Malabanan pursued the culprit and attacked him from behind after ensuring the victim’s safety.
Other claimed victims swarmed around Malabanan as he held Frazier at bay. A few victims then started retaliating against the suspect, but Malabanan de-escalated the scene by urging all to stop but rather contact the police.
Malabanan held Frazier until the cops came. An early inquiry indicated that Frazier struck the heads of a 50-year-old man and a 17-year-old kid “unjustified.” Malabanan thinks the suspect assaulted at least six people and alleges he was “playing the victim” when he was apprehended. Frazier was charged with second-degree harassment, attempted assault with intent to cause bodily harm, and recklessly inflicting bodily harm on two counts. His accusations are all misdemeanors.
Ro Malabanan denies that he did anything out of the usual. It was simply another day of practicing his abilities, this time outside of the gym, for him.
Malabanan believes that his movie will not only raise awareness about how dangerous New York’s streets have become, but will also urge individuals to learn how to protect themselves so that they are not entirely at the whim of violent criminals.
