Amarillo, TX – A good Samaritan heroically jumped in and helped subdue a combative suspect who grabbed an Amarillo police officer’s duty weapon and shot the officer in the leg during a near-deadly brawl late last week (video below).

The incident began at approximately 8 a.m. on Aug. 4, when an Amarillo motorcycle officer pulled the driver of a pickup over due to expired registration, KVII reported.

During the course of the stop, the officer discovered the driver, 36-year-old Lyle Lavern Youngs, was a fugitive wanted on a warrant out of another state, according to investigators.

Amarillo Police Department (APD) Sergeant Carla Burr said Youngs took off running when the officer moved in to arrest him, triggering a chase that led to an alley behind Network Finance in the area of South Western Street and Southwestern 34th Avenue, KFDA reported.

Security footage showed the officer catching up to Youngs in a parking area and taking him to the ground.

But the fight was far from over.

“Stay on the ground!” the officer warned the combative suspect as he struggled to subdue him.

Youngs refused to comply and then grabbed ahold of the officer’s duty weapon, the video showed.

The officer immediately grabbed his hand, but police said Youngs still managed to pull the weapon out of the officer’s holster, KVII reported.

“He was in a fight for his life,” Sgt. Burr said of the officer.

A bystander spotted the melee and ran to the officer’s aid, grabbing the suspect just as a gunshot rang out, the video showed.

Investigators said the officer suffered a graze wound to his leg while Youngs was trying to gain control of his duty weapon, KVII reported.

With the citizen’s help, the officer was able to pin Youngs down and retain his duty weapon, the video showed.

Additional officers arrived at the scene moments later and the combative suspect was taken into custody.

The wounded officer was transported to the hospital for treatment of his gunshot wound, KVII reported.

Sgt. Burr said the situation likely would have ended much differently if the good Samaritan hadn’t risked his own safety to help the officer when he needed it most.

The APD said they will be presenting the heroic citizen with a commendation for his actions, KVII reported.

His name was not immediately released.

Youngs was booked into the Randall County Detention Center on charges of attempting to take a weapon from a peace officer, attempted capital murder of a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance, evading arrest/detention, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia, giving false identification fugitive from justice, no driver’s license, and expired registration.

Watch the incident unfold in the video below. Warning – Graphic Content:

“A FIGHT FOR HIS LIFE” — As the violence against law enforcement in this country escalates to historic levels, a big thank you goes out to this Good Samaritan who saw an officer in need and rushed to help!

We appreciate the support of our community members more than you can… pic.twitter.com/myQVVdy5ZV

— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) August 7, 2023