Police officials in Austria presented a certificate of appreciation to an Austria-born Turkish businessperson who protected two policewomen from a masked attacker in an incident last year.
A 32-year-old businessperson, Güven Dağ, born and raised in Vienna, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the incident occurred toward the end of last year, as he said he saw the attacker ''wearing a mask, military camouflage and holding a weapon-like object when viewed from afar.''
He explained that the attack occurred on his way home from the ring road in the capital. Dağ said that the masked assailant attacked the passersby with an object in his hand on the four-lane ring road, damaging nearby cars. He then decided to inform the police and file a complaint. The police told him that, "A complaint about the suspicious person was sent to them, that the person is dangerous, has a gun in his hand, and that thus he should stay away from the scene."
Noting that he parked his car and proceeded toward where the person was as the police officers arrived at the scene, Güven said that as soon as the suspect saw the police, he started walking toward them. In the meantime, Dağ noted that the officers told him he could come with them by conveying, he should "stay close to them, too."
''I understood from how the man was walking that he was not normal. The person walked directly toward the police and suddenly punched the police officer in the face with his left hand so hard that she hit her head on the ground. It wasn't a pretty sight. As soon as she fell, I jumped on him (the attacker)," he said.
Stating that the female officer, who the attacker hit, briefly lost consciousness, Dağ said: "Meanwhile, the second police lady was trying to organize backup. Once I saw (the police officer and the attacker), I was torn between the two of them. The attacker was threatening me, but I couldn't help the police officer who fell to the ground then because if I let go of the attacker, he might try to take the gun from the police.''
''Thank God, it didn't go that far. While I was fighting with the person, someone jumped on us. I said, 'I am not the attacker.' The police officer, Mariella, did not fully grasp the event at that moment, but then we held him together, handcuffed him, and neutralized the person."
Certificate of appreciation from the police
Noting that they were very impressed by the civil courage and help he gave to the police officers during the incident, Dağ said that the police officers, judge and the prosecutor who worked on the case thanked him for his bravery.
Dağ also noted it was ''a humanitarian duty'' that he did, saying that he doesn't see himself as a hero but that he is happy he made ''citizens living there proud with his act.''
Stating that after the photos of the certificate of appreciation presented to him spread rapidly on social media, Türkiye's Ambassador to Austria Ozan Ceyhun called and congratulated him.
Dağ said that it was not very important to him whether this situation was covered in the Austrian press and that the police officers showed a lot of interest and concern, apart from the certificate of appreciation shared on the official social media account of the Vienna Police Department.
The written statement on their social media accounts read: "We policemen are human beings too, and we want to return home to our families, children and relatives after work in a healthy way. We are human beings too, and we may need help, especially in times of danger. Güven Dağ showed much more than an act of civil courage last year."
