A Pasadena woman armed with a bamboo stick takes down armed robbers

A bamboo stick was once decoration in Sophalla Sun's Pasadena home; now it’s the memory of her strong arm. One family against three men and a gun was an all-out brawl in the front lawn.

"And then when I saw another one, the one with a gun, he point to my sister. And then I go back to fight the one with the gun," said Sun.

Her petite frame didn't slow her down. Standing five-feet tall, weighing 85 pounds, and armed with bamboo, Sophalla heard the commotion from inside the house and came running.

"If they come and hurt my husband or hurt my family, I have to protect my husband and my family,” she said.

Last Thursday night around 8, Kim Sov and his nephew were carrying in a TV to store in their garage, located in the 200 block of Mountain Rd., when guys they didn't recognize came around the corner.

"By the time I got my head up, there's two guys," said Sov. "One of them had the gun and said to me, give me the money, give me the money."

No money, but he threw down his keys and went to the front yard to get them back. Kim, his nephew, Sophalla and her stick, her sister-in-law, and a neighbor, held down 17-year-old Paul Atterberry and 20-year-old Delonte Thomas, both from laurel.

Police aren't sure who had the gun, but they pass along words of caution about this case.

"Certainly from a police department standpoint, we don't ever recommend you confronting an armed adversary. This was a dangerous situation that could have become tragic," said Justin Mulcahy, Anne Arundel Co. police spokesman.

The family, originally from Cambodia, moved to Pasadena six months ago to flee from the crime in Prince George's County. They have no regrets about taking a tough stand.

"Something told me I had to protect my family. At that time I didn't worry whether he had a real gun, a fake gun, or whatever his intentions were to do," said Sov.

Police are looking for another man who was with Atterberry and Thomas. Both men face several charges including armed robbery, first and second degree assault and burglary.

After all this, the family plans on staying put in Pasadena.