Louisville man called a hero after he says he saved robbery victims

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville man is being called a hero after saving a woman and a little boy he said were being robbed at gunpoint.

Herb Hibbs was at Fern Creek Park getting ready to celebrate his grandson's birthday with a game of kickball Saturday evening. He said he walked back to his car to put on tennis shoes when he heard commotion coming from that area of the park.

"I hear somebody screaming bloody murder," Hibbs said.

That's when Hibbs' evening at the park took an unexpected turn.

"I see a lady on the ground," he said. "The two gentlemen over just beating her, trying to steal her purse, and grab her phone -- her keys -- getting in her pockets."

Hibbs said he rushed over, yelling at the men to get off of her.

Then he said one of the men used his gun to bash a young boy who was with the woman in the head.

"I grabbed the guy that had the AR, picked him up, slammed him on the ground," Hibbs said.

Once Hibbs looked back up again, he said he saw the other man running towards him.

"He hit me on top the head, as you can see, and split my head open," Hibbs said.

When he regained consciousness a few seconds later, Hibbs said he chased the suspects as they ran into the woods.

"I'm lucky that I got this, not a bullet," Hibbs said, indicating his injury.

Hibbs believes the woman was taken to the hospital.

"She was bleeding," he said. "She thanked me."

He said he's glad he did what he did, and he would gladly do it again.

"You know, that could have been my daughter -- anybody's daughter -- and I'd hope somebody would do the same for her," he said.

Hibbs is now being hailed a hero.

Steven Stones has worked with him for the last 15 years.

"I was surprised it happened, not surprised he moved in to help the person," Stones said. "Because that's the kind of guy Herb is. He moves in to take action."

"The real heroes are the guys that do this every day-in, day out," Hibbs said.

The Louisville Metro Police Department said it responded to a holdup of an individual at the park and that no arrests have been made yet.

"My son and my daughter came up to me and said, 'You know Dad, you're brave. I don't know if I could have done it, but you're brave. And you're setting a good role model for my grandkids.' So it was very touching."

Hibbs hasn't found the woman's contact information yet, but if he does, he hopes a reunion is in their future.