Risking their lives, these brave men climbed up the building with their bare hands to save the dangling child.
This heart-stopping incident unfolded in Qingdao Shandong Province, where a four-year-old girl hung from the railings between the 3rd and 4th floors. Fortunately, two men climbed up to save her, and no one was injured.
Video screenshot
Seen from this footage that went viral online, a girl in a white dress was spotted hanging on for dear life outside the building, her hands grasping only on the balcony railings and crying out from fatigue.
In the nick of time, 2 underwear-clad men were seen climbing up to the third floor, rescuing the girl just as she began to slip. One of the men, who only had a pair of black trousers on, outreached his arms to support the girl, while the other man, with only a pair of boxers, climbed onto the terrace and gently nudged the girl back into her home, effectively defusing the dangerous situation.
Video screenshot
Mr Wang, the boxer-clad man who rescued the girl, said during an interview that he was sleeping when he heard the piercing cries of the little girl, to which he immediately took action on, without even taking time to put on his clothes, and climbed out via an air-conditioner outlet onto a platform on the first floor.
Video screenshot
"Luckily, another man also came to the rescue, preventing the girl from falling," Mr Wang said. "I climbed above them and helped pull the girl back into her home."
After being posted online, the video went viral, and many moved netizens commented, "Superheroes in the movies have to put on their special underwear before rescuing people, but these everyday heroes in reality don't even have to put on anything other than their underwear to be the real Superman." Others commented that they are the real-life "Captain Underpants".
Video screenshot
HOUSTON (AP) — A man accused of fatally shooting a 9-year-old girl when he was robbed at a Houston ATM in 2022 has been indicted on a murder charge in her death.
Tuesday’s indictment against Tony Earls comes nearly two years after another grand jury declined to indict him in the death of Arlene Alvarez.
Gwen Alvarez, the girl’s mother, said the indictment brought her family some relief, knowing it is the “first step of receiving justice for my daughter.”
“Hopefully we inspire other families to never give up on their loved ones. It’s horrible and it’s a big nightmare what we go through. … We’re living day by day,” a tearful Gwen Alvarez said during a news conference.
Authorities said Wednesday an arrest warrant has been issued for Earls, who has been a fugitive for about a year now on an unrelated assault charge. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest, said Andy Kahan, director of victim services at Crime Stoppers of Houston.
Earls’ previous attorneys had said their client was not a “monster” but a family man who was devastated by Arlene’s death. They said Earls was not reckless in his actions and was only protecting his family.
Earls and his wife were at an ATM to withdraw money on Feb. 14, 2022, when an unidentified robber pulled a gun on them and fled after taking $20, along with a check and their car keys, according to prosecutors.
Earls’ attorneys said after their client got out of his car, the robber fired and Earls fired back in self-defense. Investigators say Earls fired at a truck thinking the robbery suspect had possibly climbed into it.
But the vehicle was actually carrying Arlene and her family as they went to the ATM to make a deposit before heading to a late dinner at a pizzeria. The girl was shot in the head and later died at a hospital.
Earls was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, serious bodily injury. But a grand jury in July 2022 declined to indict him on that charge or several others, including manslaughter and murder. The man who robbed Earls has never been caught.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said that earlier this year she assigned a special prosecutor, Warren Diepraam, to re-examine the case. Diepraam said an FBI firearms expert was brought in to review evidence.
Diepraam said he couldn't discuss the evidence presented to the grand jury. But his investigation, which was assisted by Houston police and attorneys for the Alvarez family, found that Earls had a clear view of the Alvarez family's truck and there was nothing to indicate it was connected to the robber.
"The conclusion that I reached was that if you’re going to discharge a weapon into a car ... you better make sure that you’re 100% correct because there are no second chances to bring back an innocent life," Diepraam said.
Shooting recklessly into a vehicle or a location voids any claims of self-defense or defense of property under Texas law, he said.
Ogg praised Arlene's family for their patience and efforts in the case.
“They could have been bitter. They could have done nothing. Instead, they directed all their energy toward achieving justice for Arlene. And that’s our goal. ... They will get their day in court," Ogg said.
If convicted, Earls could be sentenced to up to life in prison.
Follow Juan A. Lozano on X: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
FILE - Wendy Alvarez, mother of Arlene Alvarez, 9, who died after being shot in February of this year, listens during a press conference, Tuesday, July 19, 2022, at Crime Stoppers in Houston. Tony Earls, accused of fatally shooting a 9-year-old girl when he was robbed at a Houston ATM in 2022, has been indicted Tuesday, April 23, 2024, for murder in her death. The indictment comes nearly two years after another grand jury had declined to indict him in the death of Alvarez. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP)
FILE - Tony D. Earls is escorted from the Harris County 263rd District Criminal Court Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Houston. Earls, who is accused of fatally shooting a 9-year-old girl when he was robbed at a Houston ATM in 2022, has been indicted Tuesday, April 23, 2024, for murder in her death. The indictment comes nearly two years after another grand jury had declined to indict him in the death of Arlene Alvarez. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)
FILE - Arlene Alvarez's parents, Gwen Alvarez and Armando Alvarez are seen during a news conference with their attorney, Rick Ramos, right, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022 in Houston, Texas. Tony Earls, who is accused of fatally shooting a 9-year-old girl when he was robbed at a Houston ATM in 2022 has been indicted Tuesday, April 23, 2024, for murder in her death. The indictment against Earls comes nearly two years after another grand jury had declined to indict him in the death of Alvarez. (AP Photo/Juan A. Lozano, File)
