Hero of Florida restaurant child assault recounts those crazy few minutes

CCTV footage of a crazed man hurdling a railing to violently attack a young child was shared far and wide throughout this past weekend, Roodepoort Record reports.

Rumours spread regarding the location of the incident as well as the motives of the deranged assailant.

An overwhelming sentiment expressed by social media users commenting on the multitude of posts doing the rounds was that the man pictured wrestling the suspect to the ground deserved special acclaim.

Supporters suggested that ‘the man in the black shirt’ was due a round of applause, a medal and even a Bells.

That man’s name is Dishal Sooku and he is indeed the owner of Bella Napoli Italian Restaurant.

Thursday, 10 September was intended to be a celebration as it was Dishal’s first official day as owner after roughly two months of interim management.

The Jujitsu-trained restaurateur was enjoying a quiet Thursday evening refreshment with his father when the incident occurred.

“My dad said to me ‘just watch this guy’, pointing at the guy making a noise in Goldman Street,” Dishal recounted.

The mood abruptly turned chaotic as the same man began charging the outdoor section of the restaurant which is just several metres from the main arterial of Florida.

“I was wondering what his plan was and as soon as his first leg was over the railing I immediately went for him. The only thing I could do was think of the girl,” said the man, acutely aware that his martial arts training prepared him for that moment. “If you control the offender, you control the situation,” Dishal added.

The suspect, identified as Naseem Slamang, had been reported missing as far back as July and had in fact been located by Florida Community Policing Forum (FCPF).

“We found him two days later at Florida Lake but he was not interested in going home,” claimed Prashan Sukhu, FCPF chairperson. He further confirmed that the incident was not an attempted abduction, but the continuation of an assault that the man had committed moments before.

Dishal confirmed that he was unaware of the suspect’s identity and had no knowledge of him before the incident. He also said the victims of the attack had no prior relationship with the man.

Slamang, appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court and has been charged with assault GBH, attempted kidnapping and common assault.

The matter has been postponed until 17 September for verification of address.

INITIAL COVERAGE: Florida restaurant goers prevent deranged man’s attack on young girl