Bystanders Aid Officer Attacked at Va. Hospital

Sometimes even those who protect and serve need someone to come to their rescue.

Fortunately for one Prince William County police officer, that's what happened Thursday night when a robbery suspect at Potomac Hospital attacked him and nearly grabbed his handgun.

The officer, who was working an off-duty security detail for the Woodbridge hospital, was responding about 9:50 p.m. to a report of a man whose cellphone was snatched out of his hand while he was talking on it outside the emergency room.

When the officer approached the suspect, Quentin Lamont Samuel, and told him he was under arrest, Samuel punched him, knocking him to the ground, and kicked him, police said.

It was then that a 29-year-old Woodbridge father on his way into the ER to have his infant daughter treated for a fever jumped in to help. By this time, his wife was inside the hospital with their sick daughter.

"The officer seemed as if he had it controlled, and the next minute he was down on the ground," said the man, who asked that his name be withheld for the safety and privacy of his family. He said he started yelling when he saw the suspect reaching for the officer's gun, but the suspect didn't respond.

So, the father did what he thought was necessary, he said.

"I drop-kicked him in the chest to get [him] off the officer," the man said.

He then got into a scuffle with Samuel, who fled back inside the ER and punched a 31-year-old nurse in the face, police said.

A 50-year-old Woodbridge man, who had witnessed the fight outside, called 911. The officer, meanwhile, pursued Samuel inside the ER and tried to handcuff him, but Samuel began punching him again.

It was then that a doctor, the 50-year-old man and another citizen helped pin Samuel down, assisting the officer in handcuffing him.

Had it not been for the man who initially intervened, the officer might not be alive today, Police Chief Charlie T. Deane said in a statement.

"This incident illustrates how a routine encounter can quickly become a violent and life-threatening situation," Deane said. "The good Samaritan in all probability saved the officer's life, and we are so grateful that he stepped in and helped our officer."

The officer was treated for severe injuries to the face at a hospital and released yesterday, police said. The nurse sustained a laceration to the lip, and the doctor and the others who assisted were not injured, police said.

Samuel, 37, of Capitol Heights, was charged with robbery, assault and battery, malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer, escape by force and attempted grand larceny. He is being held without bond and is due in court Nov. 5. As for the anonymous good Samaritan, he said he wanted to help because he was there with his family, and feared what could have happened if Samuel had gotten the gun.

Samuel "did not run after he knocked the officer down," the man said. "His only intention was to shoot the officer. In the back of my mind, all I could think was if this guy got the weapon, not only was he going to shoot the officer, he was going start going crazy outside the ER."