By  Cassandra Fairbanks
A pair of Good Samaritans stepped in and saved a Virginia police officer who was being brutally assaulted in a Walmart parking lot on Wednesday.
There has been three significant attacks on police officers in Fredericksburg in the last three months.
The incident took place after police were called over a suspicious person rifling through someone elseâs car at the Fredericksburg Walmart.
Fox News reports that âthe responding officer found stolen goods in the manâs possession and tried to detain him, according to city police spokeswoman Sarah Morris. The man, identified as 31-year-old Joshua J. Duggins, reportedly began walking away from the officer before he turned around and punched the officer.â
As the officer fell to the ground, Duggins kept punching him.
The two brave bystanders rushed over and pulled the suspect off of him.
âIf the two individuals watching nearby had not selflessly taken it upon themselves to assist the officer, the injuries he sustained could have been much worse,â said Fredericksburg Police Chief Brian Layton. âI canât thank them enough for bravely putting themselves in danger.â