ARLINGTON, Va. — A man who was beaten for trying to stop a man assaulting his girlfriend is still recovering from the frightening ordeal. Police are still searching for the man responsible. Adam Theo says he hopes the man gets the help he needs once he is caught.
Around 6:30 Sunday evening, Theo was walking up Wilson Boulevard near Edgewood Street when he saw what started as an argument between a man and his girlfriend. The man was getting aggressive, grabbing the woman by the shoulders and shaking her. Theo said as the woman was trying to get away, he started ripping clothes off of her. That's when he tried to step in.
"He turned around and started punching me instead," Theo said.
Police say the man hit Theo multiple times before he was able to move away from him. The man then came back toward Theo, pushed him to the ground and assaulted him before he was pulled away by the woman and a witness.
The man and the woman have not been found. Anyone who may have information about this case is asked to call Prince George's County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.
"I got cuts, bruises, but the worst is just black eyes," Theo said. "But those will heal."
Since the incident, Theo has received support from all across the region. Two of Theo's friends, Luca Gattoni-Celli and Dan Alban, started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the man. It has raised more than $9,000 in less than 24 hours to cover Theo's medical expenses.
Theo said the community's support has been humbling.
"The reaction from other people in the community has been the most surprising," he said. "That's not really something I expected."
If the man is caught, Theo said he would like to speak with him in person about why he did what he did.
"I'm a big fan of criminal justice reform, including diversion programs and restorative justice," he said. "So, if this guy is caught and he is brought into the legal system, I'm hoping that there can be some type of diversion program for him, something that gets him some serious anger management treatment."
Data from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence provides important perspective in cases such as this. A study of intimate partner homicides found that 20% of victims were not the intimate partners themselves. Instead, the victims were people who intervened.
Remember, you should speak up if you see someone being abused. If someone is in immediate danger, call the police. You can also help by offering someone a ride to a local shelter, or by encouraging them to get help by calling the National Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Help can also be found online at thehotline.org.