Good Samaritan Helps Laurel Officer Control Armed Suspect

LAUREL, MD — A Laurel police officer is searching for a Good Samaritan who helped him wrestle an armed subject inside the Dollar Tree until more officers arrived.

The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. Saturday inside the Fort Meade Road Dollar Tree. The officer, Officer Meyer, responded to a call about a "disorderly subject" in the store and found a man who refused to leave the store.

“We started wrestling inside the store. He didn’t want to be locked-up. We ended up on the ground. The subject tucked his arm underneath his body, and I couldn’t get him to bring it out. I wasn’t sure if he was reaching for something or what his intentions were,” Officer Meyer told WUSA9.

The officer said an older man then stepped in and pulled the suspect's arm out. The man helped Meyer hold him until Meyer's partner arrived. Officers had to pepper-spray the man and handcuff him, and the Good Samaritan left without saying anything, Meyer said.

Meyer says he owes the Good Samaritan lunch and wants to thank him for his help.

“We see it a lot, um, you’ll be wrestling, and everybody pulls a camera out and points a camera but nobody steps-in. That’s why I figured it was a pretty cool thing,” Meyer said.

The suspect, Roger Najera-Guidos, was charged with trespassing on private property, disorderly conduct and possession of a dangerous weapon.

If you are the Good Samaritan or know them, please email Officer Meyer at ameyer@laurel.md.us.

See the WUSA9 post here.

Patch File Photo