Good Samaritan Tackles Purse Thief in Squirrel Hill

SQUIRREL HILL (KDKA) -- A man is being hailed as a hero after taking down a purse snatcher in Squirrel Hill.

It happened Saturday around 4 p.m. outside a Giant Eagle on Murray Avenue.

An 85-year-old woman was waiting on a bench for her ride when a man in a blue ski mask grabbed her purse and took off running.

A 31-year-old witness heard someone yelling and saw the suspect making a getaway on a bicycle.

He chased the suspect and tackled him off the bicycle.

That is when the good Samaritan warned the suspect that he had a gun, prompting the thief to drop the purse and escape.

Police say the witness did possess a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon.

The suspect is described as a white man wearing a brown coat, black hooded sweatshirt, tan pants and black boots.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to contact 911.