SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – A grocery store butcher is being credited for stopping a man who was said to be armed with a knife. 

Witness video captured the takedown inside a Santa Fe grocery store early Tuesday afternoon, just before 1 p.m. 

It happened at the Food King store near St. Michael’s Drive and Llano Road. A witness says that the store butcher pulled the suspect to the ground after the suspect had pulled a knife. 

In the video, another witness can be heard yelling, “Hey,” as the two men crash to the ground. A male voice can be heard uttering, “Call the cops,” moments after the takedown. 

“That’s called learning the hard way,” said Donny Robertson in reaction to watching the video Tuesday. Robertson owns a nearby driver training business. 

Later in the recording, several grocery store employees can be seen gathering around the suspect and the butcher on the ground. 

The suspect can be heard saying, “Please get off of me.” 

The butcher responded, “No, I will not get off of you ************.” 

A witness tells KRQE News 13 that the takedown happened moments after the suspect pulled a knife on a security guard. The witness said the suspect had thrown an item at the security guard as he was being followed on a suspicion of shoplifting. 

“That guy got exactly what he deserved,” said Robertson. “(The butcher) possibly could have saved a life, because that guy could have stabbed. The butcher put his life at risk.” 

Another neighboring business owner, Chris Hill, called the video “astounding.” 

While Hill says he wouldn’t have tackled the suspect himself, he says he appreciates the butcher’s work. 

“That’s great for him,” said Hill. “He’s used to knives, so maybe he’s not too scared of knives.” 

A witness says that it did not appear that anyone was hurt and the suspect was eventually taken into custody. 

It’s unclear if the suspect at the center of the takedown was charged with anything. Santa Fe Police didn’t respond Tuesday to questions from KRON4 sister station, KRQE News 13, about the incident. 

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