Duncanville Good Samaritan's quick actions could have saved neighbor's life
DUNCANVILLE, Texas - A neighbor helped save the life of a man shot by two masked gunmen who wanted to rob him in Duncanville.
The Good Samaritan said he was following his gut when he raced to help a neighbor who was shot on Friday.
He got into his truck, found Avila and rendered air until paramedics arrived.
The Good Samaritan tells FOX 4 he heard gunshots, then tires screeching in his Duncanville neighborhood.
"When I got there and saw him laying on the ground, there wasn’t a time for emotions. It was kind of like, ‘hey, you need to go in there and help this man,’" said the neighbor, who wants to remain anonymous for security purposes.
Family members of the victim, 34-year-old Sebastian Avila, say that gut reaction helped save the life of their loved one.
Police seek suspects in Duncanville shooting; family says victim was targeted after cashing check
Duncanville police are working to identify the gunmen who targeted a 34-year-old man outside his home.
Home security footage shows what happened minutes before.
Two armed assailants in hoodies and masks walk through the front lawn of a home on Linkwood Drive.
"Hey homeboy, don't move. Where's the money?" you can hear one of the suspects say.
One of the gunmen fires and hits Avila twice in the back.
"When I saw the shot to the lung, I knew that was kind of a dire situation. That something needed to be done fast to help give him the best chance possible," said the neighbor.
The Good Samaritan says he is trained to help in situations like this, due to his law enforcement background.
"Grabbing those chest seals and trying to get the holes covered to help him breathe a little bit, that was my main concern," he said.
The bullets damaged Avila's lung and liver.
Duncanville police says Avila may have been followed by the armed robbers after he cashed his paycheck.
They were driving a red Dodge Challenger.
"I would hope that if people did know who did it or know the whereabouts that they would call right away," the Good Samaritan said.
Until then, the family is grateful Avila is alive and the Good Samaritan was there.
"I had a great feeling come over my body that I actually did something to help someone," he said.
The family says Avila is out of the ICU and continuing to recover at the hospital.
Duncanville police are looking at the family's security footage to help identify the two gunmen.
If you have any information, you're asked to contact Duncanville Police.