Pic credit: 7News
A Miami high school senior who chased down and helped detain a man accused of theft despite being pepper-sprayed has received a hero award from Miami Police for his brave actions, 7News reported.The Good Samaritan, identified as Harry Cossyphas, was on his way to a grocery store in Brickell when he heard a woman shouting ‘robber’ in Spanish. The suspect was allegedly trying to steal her jewellery. He ran after the suspect, followed him into an alley despite being pepper-sprayed, and held him on the ground until police arrived. The incident occurred on 6 August near Southwest 14th Street.Miami Police honoured him with a hero award on Thursday, 15 October, and the department’s officers have started calling him the ‘Spider-Man of Brickell’.
An attempted theft and an unexpected hero
It was a regular afternoon. Harry Cossyphas was walking down the street by a bank in Brickell. He was on his way to a grocery store when he heard a woman screaming. Cossyphas did not stop to think it over. He ran after the man. “I started chasing after the suspect. I turned the corner, and I followed him into an alleyway,” the young man told a broadcaster. He chased the alleged thief. Finally, he caught the suspect. That’s when things went south.
The suspect spun around, pulled out pepper spray and aimed it at Cossyphas’s left eye.“Then he pulled out pepper spray and started pepper-spraying me,” Cossyphas recalled. It didn’t work. Cossyphas kept going, and the chase carried on until the two reached the Metromover station. When he caught up with the suspect, he brought the man down. Cossyphas believed the man should be behind bars. “I catch up to him, I tackle him, and I hold him on the ground until police arrive on the scene,” he told the channel.A witness, Xio Fermin, who was walking his dog at the scene, recalled the incident. “I’m not sure what he was thinking, but that’s definitely the wrong time. It’s also crazy because this is one of the safest neighbourhoods,” Fermin told The Miami Herald.A video recorded after the confrontation shows bystanders surrounding the suspect as the high school senior holds him on the ground.
Spider-Man of Brickell
Harry Cossyphas has become a local hero of sorts. Officials were impressed enough to give him a nickname: the ‘Spider-Man of Brickell’.
Cossyphas said he had heard other nicknames, too, including ‘Brickell Batman’, and that he liked them all.“It’s a funny one. I’ve heard Brickell Batman, Brickell Spider-Man; they’re all pretty good, so I like those,” he told the station. Miami Police also honoured him for his courage, compassion and responsible decision-making. He was one of 11 students honoured on Thursday, 15 October, by the department and the ‘Do The Right Thing Program’ for their work in the community.Plenty of people have told Cossyphas not to do it again. Citizen’s arrests can be dangerous, and he knows that. But he has no regrets about following his gut. He is simply glad he caught the man. “It was spontaneous; it was a quick decision. I didn’t really have time to think; I just acted. The lady needed help quickly, and I just sprang into action,” he told the outlet. “I really wish I could be helpful and an inspiration to others in my school and the community, and other friends of mine.
”Meanwhile, police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Yagiz Dogan. As of late Thursday night, he remained in custody and faced a charge of third-degree grand theft.