Carjacking has become a bit of an epidemic in the US, and Oakland, California, is a particular hotspot for the criminal activity. However, two carjackers got more than they bargained for when two karate instructors intervened in a brazen attempt in broad daylight.
Surveillance footage from a nearby shop captured an attempted carjacking on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. The video shows a man returning to his car before being approached by two hooded and armed men as they take his car keys right out of his hand. However, before they can make off with his car and escape the scene of the crime, two bystanders who work at a karate school across the street descend on the carjackers’ vehicle and begin smashing it up.
The two carjackers still managed to escape, but without their victim’s vehicle. It’s unclear, however, if they still have the keys to the car, and what that means for the owner. Internet commenters have praised the bystanders for acting so quickly, with one commenting “It’s about time people stand up to this foolishness!” and another saying, “This gave me so much joy and hope for humanity. Respect to those two guys.”
A commenter on the YouTube video also noted how brave the two bystanders were, saying, “That was very brave of those two men. The carjackers clearly had a gun.” Getting involved in an altercation like this when you’re not armed with a gun yourself is certainly deserving of the praise and admiration the two are receiving on social media and in the YouTube comments section.
Others took a less optimistic view of the video, simply asking, “Wtf has happened to us.” Another commented, “When you need Good Samaritans and luck to avoid getting carjacked, you know you’re in Oakland.”
Someone else mentioned that, unfortunately, while the bystanders managed to smash the escape vehicle, it “was most likely from another victim’s car.”
