The man who intervened in an apparent attack at a Lake Elsinore, California, In-N-Out restaurant, using a spatula to disarm a woman, has been identified as Luca Opperman, a 20-year-old acrobatic daredevil.
Witnesses reported that the woman was inside the restaurant, reportedly upset about her burger order, and began smashing items with what appeared to be a baseball bat. Opperman, who was reportedly in his car nearby, heard the commotion and entered the restaurant.
"I just hear banging, super loud banging coming from the inside of the lobby," Opperman told KTLA. "I look up and I see this lady smashing what looked like a baseball bat."
According to witnesses, Opperman entered the establishment through the window. One witness described his entry as a move like "Spiderman" or "Jackie Chan."
Once inside, Opperman confronted the woman, who was wielding a large, sharpened wooden stick. He armed himself with a spatula and called for the woman to leave. When she began swinging the stick, Opperman decided to disarm her.
"That’s when you see me go in with the shoulder drop," Opperman said. "I checked her. I grabbed the stick. This was a stick the size of a baseball bat, and the other end was snapped off, so it had a thick sharp end and edges."
He successfully took the stick from the woman, ending the confrontation. Police later arrested the woman. No injuries were reported during the incident.
Opperman, who has a background in gymnastics and freestyle trampoline, has showcased his acrobatic skills in numerous videos online. His Instagram page features clips of him performing flips and stunts. His agility was credited by some with aiding him during the incident.
He stated that he intervened because he believed someone would have been hurt if he had not stepped in.
"If I didn’t step in right there and then, I knew that somebody would have gotten hurt," he said. The incident has led to Opperman being hailed as a hero by many online commenters. One witness suggested he should be rewarded with "burgers for life."