Tulsa Man Randomly Attacked At LaFortune Park

A 70-year-old Tulsa man taking a walk last week at LaFortune park was attacked for no apparent reason.

The victim fought back and held the suspect until police arrived.

He says he's lucky to be alive to share his story.

The victim was walking on the trail Monday afternoon when he saw a man sitting on a bench.\

He had the thought, "I wonder if I should check on him."

No sooner than he had that thought, the man jumped off that bench and charged at him like a bull.

The man punched Tim in the face hard a couple times and that's when Tim knew he had to fight back and he did, with everything he had.

He got the attacker on the ground.

Tim says the man had super strength and even though Tim was punching, headbutting, even choking him, the man kept attacking, even spitting in Tim's face.

"There was a point there I thought, 'holy crap, if I pass out or I quit, I'm done,' because he would not stop," he said.

Tim kept fighting until a good Samaritan stopped to help and police arrived.

"If Dave wouldn't have come up and stepped on his forearms when he did, I just don't how much longer I had," Tim said.

Police say the suspect, Rex Rusty, tried to get away from them.

They deployed a Taser on him and arrested him.

They say he spit in the face of an EMT also.

Tim would like to meet and thank the officers, EMSA workers and the two young girls who called 911.

"One of them reminded me of my granddaughter and I thought, 'God almighty, that could've been them,'" Tim said.

He's grateful it wasn't a woman, child, or someone smaller who got attacked, because he believes they would be dead.

As for Tim, he had a cracked skull that needed stitches and a broken finger, but doesn't plan to keep this from walking here.

And now he wants to warn everyone that this can and does happen to regular people, so no matter where you are or what time of day it is, it's important you pay attention.