TAMARAC, Fla. – Broward Sheriff's Office deputies are searching for a man who tried to carjack another man last week outside a Walmart in Tamarac.
The incident was reported about 12:45 p.m. Dec. 5 outside the Walmart at 6931 NW 88th Ave.
According to an incident report, the victim, Miguel Leon, 44, approached a man, who appeared to be in his late teens or early 20s, who was walking around the parking lot, pulling on door handles and looking into car windows.
Deputies said Leon got out of his car, approached the suspicious man and said, "Can I help you? What are you doing?"
The man then pulled out a small steak knife from his pocket and told Leon, "You want to die today?"
Leon replied, "You ain't gonna kill me!"
Deputies said the man put the knife back in his pocket and walked up to Leon with his fist up, taking a fighting stance.
Authorities said Leon and the suspected thief began to fight and the culprit tried to get into the driver's seat of Leon's KIA Sorrento.
Leon told the man, "You're not taking my car," at which point the man allegedly pulled out the knife again and told Leon, "Get off me, Chico. Let it go, let it go."
Deputies said the men began to fight again after Leon pulled the culprit out of his car.
Authorities said the man, who appeared to be getting tired, eventually ran away toward a nearby Marathon gas station.
Leon got back into his car to try to find the man as he simultaneously called 911.
"I am not confrontational, but I am just tired of people taking things that don't belong to them, especially from people that work hard for their money," Leon told Local 10 News.
Leon said his wife was shopping inside Walmart when the incident occurred.
"He caught me looking at him and he pulled out a knife. So I stepped out of the car and asked him, 'What is the problem?'" Leon said.
Leon said the would-be carjacker didn't see him as a threat at first because of their age difference.
"He just said, 'You are too old for this, Pop,' but I showed him that day that I wasn't too old," Leon said.
The would-be carjacker was described by authorities as a black man in his late teens or early 20s with a short afro. He weighs about 160 pounds and has tattoos on his face, including "2017" under his left eye and unknown tattoos under and over his right eye.
Authorities said Leon sustained minor injuries during the fight, including bruises, abrasions and scratch marks to his face.
Leon refused to be treated by fire rescue.
Anyone with information about the younger man's identity is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.