Armed Texas School Teacher Saves 15-Year-Old Girl From Sexual Assault

For Texas middle school teacher, David Garza, midnight on July 28th, may not have seemed remarkable, that is until he heard the sound of a female voice in terror outside his home. Looking out a window to see a male suspect beating a young woman and realizing he was attempting to remove her clothing, David was faced with a split-second decision and chose to place his life in danger to save the life of a stranger in need. David grabbed his gun.

That evening, the 15-year-old female victim was on her way to visit a friend when she was followed off a public bus by the still-unidentified suspect into an east-side Houston residential complex. The suspect assaulted the young woman, throwing her to the ground and beating her while holding her by the hair and attempting to tear away her clothing.

It was at this moment the suspect was confronted by David Garza, hearing the victim scream, “I’m 15, help me!” Garza, who had rushed out of his home, without putting on clothes himself, responded by leveling his handgun at the suspect and demanding he release the teenager. Given the opportunity to escape, the young girl took off running only to be chased by her attacker. Garza, resolute in his determination to prevent the sexual assault, followed after the suspect until the teen was able to escape, causing the suspect to flee the scene.

Neighbors who witnessed the scene unfold were certain that the young girl would have been raped had it not been for the heroism of Garza that night, and I do not doubt that this assessment is horrifyingly accurate. When seconds count, the time it takes to call and wait for a police response can be the difference between life and death. Thankfully, this good samaritan realized that a young woman needed his courage more than he needed his own safety, and he stepped into the fray, preventing another tragic statistic.

Officials continue to search for the suspect. A photo has been released of a man wearing a black hoodie with a white Reebok logo, blue jeans, and white sneakers. If anyone has any information that may lead to his apprehension, please contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Tell us in the comments below what you think of the actions of David Garza that night. Faced with the same situation, would you choose to place yourself in harm’s way to save a stranger in need?