Good Samaritan Honored For Saving Modesto Shooting Victim's Life
MODESTO (CBS13) — A gunman is behind bars thanks to a stranger who didn't let him get away.
It happened in Modesto, early Saturday morning. The suspect held a man up at gunpoint in front of Scotty's Donuts, then shot him.
A Good Samaritan jumped right in.
"When I heard the gunshots I told the owner to get away from the window," recalled Angelo Verdone.
Verdone's quiet Saturday morning took a wild turn.
"When I see an older gentleman struggling with the guy with a gun trying to kill him, no I won't let that happen," Verdone said.
Verdone was having breakfast at Scotty's Donuts, when he suddenly sprang into action. It was in the parking lot, where Verdone says he found a man struggling with 30-year-old Braden Taylor.
"I made sure he was not going nowhere, that was one thing I made sure he was not going to do after you shoot somebody," Verdone added.
A fight or flight moment for Verdone, who says all he could think about was helping the victim.
"I held the guy down with my elbow twisted over his neck my knee over his ribs, and I had his left hand twisted backward where he couldn't go nowhere."
Verdone held the suspect down until Modesto police officers raced over to the parking lot.
His brave actions saved the victim and his wife.
"I think there's little question he prevented something worse from happening," said Sgt. Jamey Deming.
A heroic act not many would dare carry out, Verdone was commended by officers, for a job well done. He earned a recognition medal - his reminder of a good deed he hopes one day could be repaid forward.
A case of being at the right place at the right time, Verdone says he'd do it again, no second thoughts.
"Definitely, definitely would do it again because nobody deserves that," Verdone said.
The shooting victim is expected to recover.
Modesto police say the gun Taylor used was stolen.