RAF veteran fights off armed muggers who 'manhandled' his girlfriend

The British tourist was willing to hand over his valuable to the muggers.

But when they turned their attention to his girlfriend, he decided enough was enough and gave the robbers a painful lesson in being careful who they pick on.

Being a former Royal Air Force serviceman comes in handy when you're being robbed at knifepoint.

Mr Neil McCarthy, an Afghanistan veteran from Plymouth, UK, was walking with his girlfriend Carisa Lerner by Lake Michigan last Saturday night (Oct 24).

Three men then approached them and demanded their valuables, reported ABC7 Chicago.

Former RAF serviceman Neil McCarthy and his girlfriend were attacked by a gang of three armed robbers at Chicago last Saturday (Oct 24) while on holiday. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB/ ABC7 CHICAGO

The 27-year-old handed over his iPhone and wallet but says he "lost it" when the men began manhandling Ms Lerner, shaking her and going through her pockets.

The BBC reports that Mr McCarthy put one man in a headlock but was then stabbed in the back of his right shoulder while being punched by the other two, .

"I knew I'd been stabbed, it didn't hurt, it felt like a punch," said Mr McCarthy.

He then got hold of the knife and stabbed one of the robbers before all three fled.

When the police arrived, Mr McCarthy was treated for injuries while being questioned.

He then used an app to trace his stolen phone, which was only 30m away.

Mr McCarthy went after it — while topless — and found one of the culprits hiding.

He then dragged the robber back to the police.

The other two alleged culprits were later caught and held on bail.

According to the Independent, Mr McCarthy is currently a graduate student of security technologies at the University of Minnesota.

His mother said she was "immensely proud" of him.

"It's not everyday someone single-handedly fights off three men and hands one in to the police," she said.

 

 

Sources: BBC, ABC7 Chicago, Independent