The piercing scream, reminiscent of a sound from a horror film, triggered taekwondo instructor Simon An to draw on his years of martial arts training.

Around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, shortly after the doors of his family-owned and operated studio opened for evening classes, An and his father, mother, older sister, and younger brother heard shrieks coming from a neighboring business.

The family of five, each holding a fourth-degree black belt, runs the Yong-in Taekwondo dojo in Katy, Texas, outside Houston. Initially, they ignored the sounds, assuming they were from employees playing around in their break room. But then a piercing “final scream” prompted the An family into action, An said.

His family ran to the store and opened a door that had been shut. There, they found a man on top of a young woman with his hands “in inappropriate places” as she attempted to fend him off, An said.

An’s father, Hong, yanked the attacker away by his shirt and pinned him to the ground. An’s sister, Hannah, grabbed the girl and rushed her out of the room while An and his brother helped subdue the attacker.

“It just happened so suddenly,” said An, who has been practicing taekwondo for 16 years. “It was all self-defense. The intruder was trying to run away—scratching, biting, anything he could do.”

Heroic Family Action

An’s father, a taekwondo grand master, held down the attacker for 10 minutes until law enforcement arrived, he said.

“My dad is strong. He expected us to protect him,” An said. “He had a lot of trust in us.”

The Harris County Sheriff’s Department credited An and his family with saving the young woman from an attempted sexual assault.

“By utilizing their training and discipline, they managed to stop the assault and hold him,” Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a series of posts on X.

Legal Consequences

The attacker has been charged with attempted sexual assault and unlawful detention, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Department.

“Thank you to the Yong-In dojo for your quick action in protecting others," the sheriff wrote.

Background of the Incident

The An family operates the Yong-in Taekwondo dojo, which is well-respected in the Katy community. They teach self-defense, discipline, and the principles of martial arts to students of all ages. This incident highlights not only their martial arts skills but also their commitment to the safety and well-being of their community.

Importance of Martial Arts Training

This episode underscores the practical benefits of martial arts training beyond physical fitness. The An family's quick response and effective intervention were due to their extensive training and discipline in taekwondo. Such skills can be crucial in emergency situations, enabling individuals to protect themselves and others from harm.

Community Reaction

The community has expressed gratitude and admiration for the An family's bravery. Local residents have commended their quick thinking and heroic actions, reinforcing the importance of community vigilance and support in ensuring public safety. The An family's actions serve as a reminder of the significant impact trained individuals can have in critical situations, and their story has inspired many to consider the value of martial arts training as a means of self-defense and community protection.