A 13-year-old girl from Carmel-by-the-Sea, California uses jiu-jitsu to defend herself against an attacker

In Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, police are on the lookout for a suspect involved in the attempted assault of a teenager. The incident occurred approximately two weeks ago when a man tried to assault a 13-year-old girl, who managed to defend herself using jiu-jitsu.

What started as a usual walk home from school took a frightening turn for the 13-year-old girl from Carmel-by-the-Sea when she found herself in a face-to-face encounter with a man attempting to physically harm her.

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“Halfway home, and a gentleman was standing in between two cars and he stepped out to punch her in the face,” says Sensei Michael Blackburn.

Having attended jiu-jitsu classes for three years under Sensei Michael Blackburn at the Carmel Youth Center, she bravely applied the skills she had learned in class to thwart her attacker.

“She punched him, she got him in a headlock, kneed him a couple of times, spun him around, threw him on the ground. She had stepped on his foot doing all this, and when she threw him on the ground, he broke his ankle,” said Sensei Blackburn.

The girl was able to run home and is safe, but with her attacker still on the loose, her family and police have asked to keep her identity anonymous.

Carmel police say they do not have a solid lead on the man yet, but have released a sketch of what they believe he looks like.

For Sensei Blackburn, it is heartbreaking to know his student was put in this situation, but he is grateful she knew how to defend herself.

“I told her we were proud of her, and she did exactly as she was supposed to do,” said Sensei Blackburn. “You have to fight in class like you’re going to protect yourself on the street.”

The 13-year-old girl is hoping her story serves as a reminder to other young women that knowing self-defense can save your life.