A heroic military veteran sprang into action in a South Carolina Walmart and ended a violent standoff that could have ended tragically.
Dramatic video showed an unidentified man wearing a red hoodie waving a knife at shoppers in the Columbia store and demanding money. The suspect is swearing and yelling that “I’m going to start cutting you all up.”
The showdown took place on Jan. 4 at around 2 p.m.
A store manager attempted to confront the man, but that only provoked more outrageous behavior when the suspect attempted to slash the employee.
But just moments later, as the knife-wielding suspect continued to threaten and rage, a man identified as Demario Davis attacked the alleged assailant with a metal pole and knocked him to the floor.
WATCH: Veteran Takes Down Knife-Wielding Maniac at South Carolina Walmart https://t.co/WMK0B7s9o3
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) January 13, 2023
As the riveting video showed, another bystander then moved in and retrieved the now-dropped knife. Two sheriff’s deputies then arrived and handcuffed the suspect.
The man on the floor then began yelling: “No, no, no. I didn’t do it. I didn’t do anything.”
Davis, who had been shopping in the store with his son, said he was checking out with his purchases when his son spotted the suspect walking around with the open knife. The veteran said he then saw the man go to the service desk and begin brandishing the knife at female employees.
LaQuanda Eichelberger told Storyful that she was working in the self-checkout area when the suspect came in and demanded $20. She can be heard on the video exclaiming that the man had a knife and asking those around her to “just give the man $20, y’all.”
At that point, the man yelled “when the cops get here, I’m going to start cutting you all up.”
Davis told reporters that’s when his military training kicked in. He said he “casually walked over to the metal object not only to take him down but also to protect myself in case I failed. He credited that training for his being able to “neutralize the threat until law enforcement arrived.”
The Richland County Sheriff’s Office reported that the suspect was taken to an area hospital for evaluation, and charges have not been announced.
