Good Samaritans in Midfield, AL, came to the aid of a 74-year-old woman who was being beaten and robbed on Wednesday.

The victim was at her vehicle after running errands at a shopping center when a man approached her demanding money.

The elderly woman refused, and the man began to hit her. Moments later, a witness told AL.com, the assailant then jumped into her SUV.

That is when a group of Alabamians sprang into action.

One of the heroes, William Daniels, pulled the assailant out of the vehicle, fought with him and held him down until police arrived.

“We had to do what we had to do,” Kimberly Whitehead, a witness, told AL.com.

Daniels said he didn’t have time to think or get emotional.

“Who would sit back and watch a criminal beat a lady like that?” he explained.

Law enforcement officers praised Daniels for his potentially life-saving bravery.

“He was a godsend,” Midfield police Sgt. Jesse Bell said. “We don’t know what he would have done had they not been there. We’re thankful he was there to stop it.

Bell concluded, “We need more community involvement like this.”

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn