VANCOUVER, Wash. - An 11-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero after he jumped into action when a man came up from behind his younger sister and grabbed her around the waist.
"She's my sister and I love her, so I just want to protect her," said Stardog Delao.
The incident happened Monday morning in the 3500 block of S Street while the two were walking to school. According to police, a man grabbed 7-year-old Amanda Bear and tried to run.
"We were walking to school and he snuck up behind me," Bear said.
"I pushed him off and I punched him," Delao said, adding that once he yanked the man away from his sister, the two ran and the man gave chase.
"He chased us down to here and we ran into the house," he said.
Police have released a composite based on the kids' description and neighbors told KATU News the face is a familiar one.
"We recognize him as one of the transients that begs on 39th right off of SR 500," said neighbor Jacey Morris.
Detective Pat Kennedy followed up on the tip and spoke with a homeless man in the area, asking if he recognized the person in the sketch.
"Well, there was one guy that kind of looks like him that came through," the man told the officer.
Police are taking the case seriously.
"These kids were interviewed multiple times by different officers and each time the story was consistent," said Kennedy.
Pray for Stardog and AmandaBear.