Heroic Actions of 3 Honored

Three Southland residents were honored for their courage Wednesday by the Los Angeles County district attorney, including a Burbank man who chased down and captured a suspected armed robber last spring.

Asmar Chabbo, 29, of Burbank, Laura Hollis, 52, of Altadena and Andrew Tait, 37, of Simi Valley received Courageous Citizen awards at a noontime ceremony in Pasadena. The awards are given several times a year to recognize “citizens in the community who put themselves in harm’s way to bring criminals to justice,” said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the district attorney.

“These people we honor by their acts are extraordinary people who have displayed extraordinary courage,” said Sandi Gibbons of the district attorney’s office. But, she added, those in law enforcement recommend that observers of a crime try to be good witnesses rather than putting themselves in harm’s way.

“It’s better to be a live witness than a dead hero,” she said.

Chabbo was lauded for an incident in May in which he and a friend eating at a Burbank fast-food restaurant heard a scream and turned to see a man jump over the counter, flash a gun and threaten the cashier and other patrons, Robison said.

The gunman grabbed some cash, shouted more threats and then took off on a bicycle. Authorities said he might have gotten away had Chabbo not run after him, dragged him from his bicycle and wrestled away the gun. Chabbo then pinned the man down, holding him to the ground until police arrived.

“It was a very bold thing to do,” Robison said. “It turned out the suspect had a BB gun, but [Chabbo] didn’t know that at the time. The employees and customers thought it was a semiautomatic.”

The suspect has been charged and is to begin trial on March 25.

Hollis’ award signified an act of courage at a time of deep sorrow in January 2001, when, on the day after her home had been burglarized, she discovered the body of her slain son under a pile of clothing. Authorities credited Hollis for preserving the crime scene and remaining composed throughout the investigation. She ultimately testified against the gang member charged with the crime, resulting in his murder conviction and a sentence of 61 years to life in prison.

Last March, as Tait and his family were shopping at a West Valley mall, he heard a woman screaming for help as a man ran toward him.

Tait tripped the man and held him for police, who said the man was molesting a teenage girl before the witness’ screams chased him away.

The molester, who was free on bail on suspicion of a similar crime in Ventura County, was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison.