ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando police are looking for a man they say tried to rob and carjack a woman in a Walmart parking lot.
Authorities said it happened around 5:15 p.m. Sunday at the Walmart at 2500 S. Kirkman Road.
As the woman loaded her purchases into her vehicle, the suspect got in, pointed a gun at her and demanded money, police said.
According to police, the woman told the man she didn't have any money. That's when the man forced the woman into the passenger seat, pointed a gun at her head and demanded her ATM card.
Police said the man tried to drive away with the victim still in the car, but the woman started yelling for help.
As bystanders started to approach the car to see what was going on, police said the suspect exited the vehicle and walked away, entering the Walmart.
Investigators said the man finally left the store on foot and hasn't been seen since.
Local 6 spoke to Mike Friedman, a self-defense expert and owner of Champion Karate in Lake Mary. While the woman at Walmart was able to get away unharmed, Friedman said her best chances of survival would have been to get away from her attacker before getting in the car.
"Never comply when someone's telling you to get an automobile, don't go," said Friedman. "Ninety-one percent of people who comply with the attacker in this situation don't come back."
Friedman said instead you should fight for your life by yelling aggressively and running away from your attacker in a zig-zag pattern to avoid potentially getting shot.
The woman at Walmart fought back when she thought the man would take off with her in the car screaming for help and getting the attention of shoppers.
"She got in the car. We recommend you don't do that, but once she got in her instincts took over and she fought and look what happened, confusion set in and he did something stupid," said Friedman.
The attacker ran into the store to get away, but instead wound up on surveillance cameras.
"You want to stack the cards in your favor and prepare," said Friedman. "Be proactive, don't wait until something like this happens."
Katie Cody, a Walmart spokesperson, told Local 6 the safety of customers is a top priority. They said a third-party security company monitors the parking lot 24 hours a day and they installed new lighting a couple months ago in the parking lot to make things safer for customers.
Cody also said they have handed over the surveillance video of the man to police. Police later released a photo of the man, asking anyone who recognizes him to call Crimeline at at 800-423-TIPS.