Imagine it's a nice sunny day and you're out enjoying the weather with your girlfriend and three daughters. And suddenly a strange man looks at you. And he begins approaching you. And then you realize he's not looking at you, but at your young daughters. And then the guy tries to grab your 2-year-old. And he says, "That's my daughter, Goldilocks." Ewwww, creepy, right?

Kelly Davis was out at a local plaza in Chicago with his family, girlfriend Amanda Green, newborn daughter Finley, Myla, 2, and 4-year-old sister Dorseya, when the man, whom he'd never seen before, grabbed the blonde, curly-haired 2-year-old Myla by the arm. Davis says he stepped between the man and his daughter and said, "I don't know what you're on, but you need to get away from my family" and pushed him. He says the man then threw a punch and took off running.

A lot of parents would have considered themselves fortunate that the situation was over, the children were safe, and bundled everyone off to call the police. But not Davis. He took off running after the guy.

Davis says he chased after the guy for at least half an hour through the city streets, sometimes walking, sometimes running. Davis told the local CBS station:

If he would’ve ran to the end of the city, I would’ve chased him to the end of the city.

Eventually, Davis managed to flag down police, who arrested James Gates, 55, who has a long criminal history.

Davis is being hailed as a "hero" by the press -- and a lot of commenters are saying, "Why's he a hero? He did what anyone would do." But really? Maybe not. Especially in a city where you often have to deal with unhinged types, a lot of people would have sighed with relief that the man was gone and tried to go on about their day. But Davis could have just saved another "Goldilocks" from being snatched by a disturbed man. He did it at a risk, however. The man could have had a weapon.

In most states, the mentally ill cannot be held against their will unless they are a threat to themselves or others, so though this man may have been dangerous, there's nothing that can be done until he actually does something. And now he did, so hopefully he'll be off the streets and getting some help.

Would you have chased after the man?

 


Image via CBS Chicago