Weightlifting Grandma, Shirley Rupp, Destroys Robber Who Tried To Take Her Purse [Video]

Weightlifting Grandma, Shirley Rupp, gave the thief who attempted to rob her the freight of his life when she wrestled him to ground and then chased him away.

The incident occurred near a Subway restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, on January 1. 64-year-old Rupp, who admitted that she is usually a peaceful person, instantly sought retribution when the hooded thief snuck up behind her and grabbed the grandmother of six’s purse.

In return, she gripped hold of his hood and yanked him down to the ground, which allowed her to get her purse back from the shocked robber. Deputy Tracy Fuitt of Tucson Country Sheriff’s department confirmed that Rupp then chased him away, and he was only able to escape her clutches when he made it back to his green Honda Civic with tinted windows.

A surveillance camera outside the strip-mall in Tucson captured the entire ordeal, and you can watch the compelling footage above.

Rupp, who works as a real estate agent, told ABC News, “It was total reaction, I was walking to my car from Subway and all of a sudden he was behind me. I just thought he was so close that I grabbed his jacket, and then he tripped. And evidently dropped my wallet.”

She also noted that she didn’t realize quite how physical she had been to her attacker. “I didn’t realize really why I am so sore, but then I saw the video,” she confirmed. “My friends, and even me, are shocked that it was me. I am a very peaceful person. It’s out of my character to react like that. I don’t even watch action movies.”

Rupp believes that she could have run even faster, but she was hindered by her footwear, remarking, “Now I am a pretty fast runner for a little distance, but I had on flip flops.”

Before the man tried to rob her Rupp remarked that she actually wanted to assist the man who she believes was homeless. “We have a lot of homeless people here,” she continued, “and he just looked like that. I thought maybe I’ll ask him if it’s okay if I can give him a sandwich. But then I caught his look that seemed kind of mean, so I said to myself I’m not going to.”

However, just a few days after her ordeal, Rupp admitted that she still finds herself reflecting on the attack.

She confirmed, “You do kind of start having flash backs of it. You think, oh my gosh, he could have had a gun or a knife, or anything. I certainly am not carrying my purse under my arm anymore. I am probably more aware of things.”