HOLLYWOOD, CA — Several good Samaritans intervened to stop an attempted carjacking in East Hollywood late last month, demonstrating the power of community action.

The incident, captured on cellphone video, took place near the intersection of Beverly Boulevard and Vermont Avenue around 1 p.m. The footage shows a distressed Tesla driver trying to push a man, who was clinging to the steering wheel, out of his vehicle.

Cesar Clara and Adam Hakeem were on their way to a nearby skatepark when they encountered the struggle. Clara, who was driving, quickly realized that someone needed help.

“We pulled up right next to them and we see that some guy needed some help because it looked like someone was stealing the car,” Clara explained to KTLA’s Mary Beth McDade.

Hakeem didn’t hesitate to jump out of their vehicle and rush to the Tesla driver’s aid. “The Black pedestrian has his arm around the wheel and he’s not letting go, while the other person in the car, he’s Asian, and he doesn’t know what to do,” Hakeem recalled. “He wasn’t saying much, except for, like, being in shock. He was like, ‘Just get him out.’”

Despite Hakeem’s efforts to physically remove the suspect, the man refused to release his grip on the steering wheel. Hakeem then tried a different approach. “I try to take his attention off of the steering wheel, so I proceeded to kicking his leg, hoping he’ll let go in agony,” Hakeem said.

Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department arrived on the scene within minutes and took control of the situation. The suspect, believed to be homeless or suffering from mental illness, was arrested for grand theft auto.

Hakeem reflected on his decision to intervene, saying that acting in the spur of the moment and helping the man felt like the right thing to do. His quick thinking and willingness to help a stranger in distress demonstrate that good people are still out there, ready to make a difference.

This incident is a reminder of the impact that ordinary individuals can have when they step up to help others in need.