Shocking Video of Bystanders Stopping Would-Be Kidnapping in San Diego

A video of a group of bystanders thwarting a would-be carjacking and kidnapping in San Diego has surfaced on YouTube, and the content is, well, pretty shocking. 

According to a number or reports, a man entered a minivan with a woman and a child in broad daylight in front of Appletree Market in San Diego, and quickly drove away. A few minutes later, the van hits a pole, and a woman and child can be heard screaming inside.

Hearing the cries of the duo, a group of men standing near the scene jumped in to help, 

The video shows footage from that scene; the bystanders drag the driver -- later identified as 21-year-old Ismael Hernandez -- out of the wrecked vehicle. They manage to force him to the ground after giving chase, and they keep him detained until the cops show up. 

The amateur videographer, Aaron Leaf, spoke to Fox 5 San Diego about the incident after the footage went viral. 

“I think it’s great the community would stand up against [Hernandez],” Leaf told Fox. “They definitely didn’t use too much force. They could have continued to beat him, but they decided to hold him down so the cops could come. Police aren’t always around to catch people. It’s great the community would jump in.”

The carjacker is now in jail and booked on a number of charges, including attempting carjacking, kidnapping and vehicle theft, and DUI, according to county jail records.