Audio By Carbonatix
Homeless people often get a bad rap, but when you’re about to get your ass kicked by a PCP-crazed attacker, an unemployed former Crip living on the street can be handy to have around.
Dallas police officer Billy Taylor learned that first-hand last Tuesday in front of The Bridge homeless shelter. He was in full retreat from Samuel Dewey Jackson, the allegedly PCP-addled man who was attacking him.
“He went straight for the officer, and the officer had his baton out,” Charles Alexander, a homeless bystander, told CBS 11. “But it wasn’t doing any good because he was really pc’d out.”
That’s when Alexander intervened. The 45-year-old former Crip stepped into the street, pulled Jackson off the officer, and body-slammed him to the pavement WWE-style. Jackson was arrested. Alexander was congratulated, as well he should be.
When news happens, Dallas Observer is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If the Dallas Observer matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
Councilman Dwaine Caraway praised him in an interview with the Huffington Post.
“What could come out of this, [what] could signal messages to Crips and gang leaders, is that doing good things are better than doing bad things,” he said. “If we had more folks like [Alexander], who had that change of heart, how much better would our country would be?”
Update on October 25: DPD says they are so appreciative of Alexander’s help that Chief David Brown will give him a Citizens Certificate of Merit. They’ll present the award this afternoon at headquarters.
