Minneapolis police impressed by Lotus worker who used jiu-jitsu to fight off attacker
Jezarius Sheldon got the attention of the Minneapolis Police Department, which is looking for recruits.
Sheldon, 19, is counting his blessings that no one was seriously hurt when a verbal assault outside Lotus turned violent, and he was forced to defend himself.
He says that while talking to the police, he was presented with an incredible opportunity.
"He said I was very impressed the way that I held my own, and the way that I performed, considering the circumstances, I was very controlled, I was very disciplined in my actions, and he was like, 'You would do well as a police officer,'" said Sheldon.
Sheldon says he was flattered, but he has plans to serve the public in a different way. He is a nursing student at the University of Minnesota.
"I do want to be a nurse, that's the goal," said Sheldon.
On scholarship for his good grades, he wants to continue a family health care legacy.
"The fact that I get to go and pursue my education somewhere like the U of M, it's a blessing, and I'm very grateful," said Sheldon.
What he does want is safety for his coworkers and others who work in this corner of Loring Park.
"We see people who are physically violent outside our store, people urinate on our sidewalk, defecate on our sidewalk, call us names. I've been spit on, I've been hit," said Jim Connelly, who works at a neighboring business, Rainbow Road.
Five weeks ago, Connelly's store was robbed.
"A young man came in, masked, body totally covered, put a knife by my back, put a knife up my throat, put me down on my knees and then opened the till and took the money out," said Connelly.
He hopes people contact Minneapolis City Hall to ask for more police and protection for areas plagued by crime.
"We have no response from police; the police are too busy. The response from City Hall is, 'We're going to look into it. We're going to form a committee. We're going to think about how we're going to get this resolved.' But after 29 years, it's only gotten worse because it's never gotten better," said Connelly.
Jezarius says he does not hate his attacker.
Police have stepped up patrols by Lotus.
So far, no arrests have been made in connection with the attack.
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