On a Sunday afternoon while Kelly Herron was on a long run for marathon training, she visited a public park restroom. Unexpectedly, as she dried her hands, she sensed something was amiss and turned around to find a man who had been concealed in a toilet stall standing behind her.
Recalling the incident, Kelly mentioned that the man swiftly pushed her to the ground and attempted to assault her. In response, Kelly knew she had to fight fiercely with all her might, leading her to take immediate action.
Coincidentally, just a few weeks prior, Kelly had participated in a self-defense class organized by her company. The techniques she learned during the two-hour session proved to be crucial during the harrowing encounter.
One technique she remembered was targeting vulnerable areas with force. With this in mind, she struck the side of her attacker’s head, clawed, and punched him vigorously despite sustaining injuries herself.
After overpowering the assailant, Kelly maneuvered under a stall door. Her shouts attracted a passerby in Seattle’s Golden Gardens Park, who assisted in containing the attacker until authorities arrived.
In a moment of realization, Kelly fiercely confronted her attacker, asserting her determination not to be a victim. She expressed her defiance and resolve to protect herself at all costs.
The suspect was later identified as 40-year-old Gary Steiner, a known sex offender. He faced charges of attempted second-degree rape and second-degree assault, being held on a bail of $750,000.
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