Crime Victims Fight Back Against Attackers in 2024’s Most Notable Incidents
This year, several crime victims took matters into their own hands and fought back against their attackers, with videos capturing the incidents. Here’s a recap of some of 2024’s most notable examples.
In March, a truck driver was attacked by a colleague on the road in Florida. The victim said he was driving a semi-truck when Dylan Belleastin, 43, threw a water bottle at his truck. The victim pulled over to confront Belleastin but decided against it and drove away. Belleastin then continued to follow the victim and eventually pulled alongside him again, at which time he fired several shots toward the victim. The victim decelerated in an attempt to avoid being struck before returning fire toward Belleastin “out of fear for his own life.” Belleastin was arrested days later and charged with aggravated assault, criminal mischief, and displaying a firearm during the commission of a felony.
In June, the owner of a Seattle bikini espresso shop defended her decision to smash a customer’s windshield with a hammer after he threw coffee at her. The incident was caught on camera and shared in a now-viral social media video. Emma Lee, 23, told FOX 13 Seattle that it was not the first time the customer had been disrespectful, and she wants him held accountable for his actions.
In October, a D.C. bartender was attacked on video while at a gas station by three teenagers who tried to take off with his Jeep. The suspect, Randy White, told FOX 5 DC that the teens demanded his belongings. He instead fought back until the trio eventually gave up and left the gas station.
Also in October, a Florida woman who was being held captive prior to an alleged attempted rape called 911 to order a “pizza.” The suspect is caught by deputies on top of the victim in a field in Volusia County, Florida, on October 19, 2024. The victim was able to tell the dispatcher she was being held by an unarmed man, and deputies were sent out to rescue her.