An officer with the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department was stabbed multiple times on Thursday afternoon and a citizen who witnessed the attack rushed in to help get control of the suspect.

According to WTOP Radio, the 19-year police veteran—whose name has not been released—was responding to a call of a man assaulting a woman.

The suspect—identified as 61-year-old Robert Redding—reportedly led the officer on a brief foot pursuit before stopping, turning around, and stabbing the officer in the head and back with a pair of scissors.

That's when John Burrows—who is homeless and had gotten to know the patrolman over the time he'd been assigned to the area in which he spends most of his time—leaped into action to stop the attack.

Chief of Police Peter Newsham said at a news conference, "It does make me feel good to see that a guy who our police officer developed a relationship with was willing to put himself in jeopardy to protect one of our police officers. That’s something we won’t forget. It's very, very kind—very heroic."