Update: Prosecutors have charged Phillip Rourke with Aggravated Robbery. Police say he tried to steal a purse from a woman in west Wichita last Thursday.
Rourke will be in court for a preliminary hearing on August 18.
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Original Story, August 31
"I'm going to be sore for a few days, but it was worth it"
A 92-year old woman wouldn't let go when a man tried to steal her purse. Thanks to 3 good samaritans, the suspect is going to jail and she got her purse back.
She doesn't want us to use her name, but the victim wants to thank the men who helped her.
"I wish i had their names, I would write each one of them a note," she said.
The woman is battered from the attack, but thankfully not broken.
"They took an x-ray, I didn't break anything, I guess I got pretty good bones," the victim said.
She was leaving a Dillon's grocery store at Central and West streets Thursday afternoon, and had just put her groceries in the trunk when out a nowhere a man attacked..
"I saw a hand cross in front of me and I thought it was somebody trying to close my trunk, but no, he was trying to grab my purse," she said. "I don't know how I got turned around, but I was not going to let go of my purse and I hung onto it."
She ended up on the ground, and the suspect dragged her until she let go. The whole time she screamed for help. That's when several men came to her rescue.
"Our suspect tried to run with the purse and was met by our good samaritan, this individual grabbed and wrapped up the suspect," said Wichita Police Lieutenant Doug Nolte.
In that struggle, the suspect was tackled to the ground. Nolte says he suffered a skull fracture and is recovering at Wesley Medical Center
Once doctors release the 51-year old suspect, he's headed to jail.
The victim knows she'll be sore for a while. She did get to hug each one of the men before she left the store.
The 51-year old suspect was released from the hospital Friday afternoon. He is now behind bars on several charges, including aggravated robbery and aggravated battery.
