Luis Romero, a resident of Duarte, California, is recovering in the hospital after being shot while tackling a gunman during a World Cup watch party in Los Angeles' Koreatown. The incident occurred during a public viewing of the South Korea vs. Mexico group stage game.
Romero was with his son when an armed individual began firing into the crowd. Romero intervened and tackled the gunman, but was shot in the thigh during the struggle, severing a major artery. Amid the ensuing panic, LAPD Officer Helen Zhang rushed to Romero's side and applied a tourniquet, successfully stopping the life-threatening bleeding.
"Thank you for saving my life [and] for helping me," Romero said in an interview with ABC7. His son, Leon, added, "I fell in love with her because she helped my dad out."
Officer Zhang described the scene as chaotic, stating, "There was a lot of blood. Right away, I knew this man needed help right now. The training just kicked in." She added that Romero reminded her of her father and was glad he survived, especially knowing he was with his son.
The alleged shooter, identified as 19-year-old Andy Rodriguez, was subdued by Zhang's police partner and taken into custody. Authorities have integrated viral video footage of the event into their active investigation.
Romero faces a significant physical rehabilitation process. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support his family during his recovery. The campaign description details that the armed individual arrived with a gun, ammunition, a satchel, and a knife, and that Romero's intervention likely prevented a larger tragedy.
