HUNTSVILLE – Randy Blain flew into action when he saw a man attacking a female police officer in Toronto.

The Huntsville resident was driving home from the Hospital for Sick Children with his daughter, Sophia, 8, on June 14 when he glanced to his right at an intersection and saw a crowd of bystanders watching a man beat a police officer.

“She was struggling and down on the ground,” said Blain. “I pulled my truck half off the road and said to Sophia, ‘Daddy’s got to help this police officer.’”

He said he ran to the scene as fast as he could and hit the man in his side, which knocked him to the ground. The police officer was then able to radio for backup and Blain held the man while she cuffed him. Three to four other officers soon arrived and took the man into custody.

His involvement lasted about eight minutes, during which time female bystanders, at his request, stayed with his daughter.

“This wasn’t a pre-meditated decision. It was just a reaction. I sort of feel a little shy about taking too much credit because I just did it,” he said, noting it was the first time he had done something like that. “But I will say, a citizen’s arrest is off my bucket list.”

Blain described the attacker as smaller than him, but wiry and fast.

“The officer should get some recognition for holding onto a guy like that. She could have let him go,” he said. “But she held onto him while she was getting beaten up. Good on her.”

He said he asked the police officer after the assault about her condition. She had several injuries, but responded that she was OK, he said.

He noted his daughter is doing well, though she had tears in her eyes when he returned to the truck.