A tiger, a dinosaur, and a woman in a pink cowboy hat all joined in restraining a man on Friday who was allegedly punching a female driver inside a vehicle, just outside the venue where FurCon 2020 was taking place in San Jose.
Video of the incident was captured and posted by an attendee at the convention, a DJ at the event named Robbie. As the Mercury News reports via witnesses, a car came screeching to a stop in the middle of South Market Street, outside the convention space at the San Jose Marriott hotel, and a woman inside the car, who was driving, was screaming "Get out! Get out!"
— ROBBIE! 🏝️ (@robbiesets) January 18, 2020
Witness Steven Rodriguez says that he and several others standing outside smoking saw the male passenger "whaling" on the female driver, and the group approached the car, opened the unlocked passenger door, and yanked the man out. The man allegedly attempted to hit Rodriguez, and the group of about five people — at least three still in costumes or fursuits — then restrained the man, and sat on him.
San Jose police arrived within minutes, and Sgt. Enrique Garcia confirms the sequence of events for the Merc. Police arrested 22-year-old Demetri Hardnett on suspicion of domestic assault, and the victim — the driver of the car — was identified as his girlfriend.
Says Rodriguez to the Mercury-News, "It happened very, very fast and it was just a horrible thing to see. But overall, everyone was very happy that we stepped in."
Furry powers, activate!