Who is Caio Benicio? Deliveroo driver hailed a hero for hitting Dublin stabbing suspect with his helmet, ending bloodbath

Caio Benicio, a Brazilian delivery rider, reportedly stopped a bloodbath in Dublin on Thursday, November 23, 2023. This came after an attacker allegedly stabbed five people in a row, including three children according to Garde Police. One of the children was stabbed in her neck and is currently in critical condition. The reason for his attack remains unknown, and the suspect is in custody.

A 43-year-old man, Caio was hailed as a hero when he hit the alleged attacker with his helmet and stopped him from stabbing more people with his knife. Netizens praised Caio Benicio, who reportedly works for Deliveroo, a British online delivery service, for his courage.

On November 27, 2023, Caio Benicio received a medal as an honor for his act of courage from the Prime Minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar.

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Why did Caio Benicio hit the man with his helmet?

Speaking to RTÉ Radio One's Morning Ireland on Thursday, November 23, 2023, Caio Benicio shed light on the incident. He stated that he stopped his bike and hit the attacker with his helmet after he saw a woman trying to get a little girl away from the suspect.

"At first, I thought it was a fight with a man and a woman. Then, I just saw a little girl and a woman who couldn't get the girl from the man. And then the man grabbed another [child]. When I saw the knife, I pulled up my bike, and it was my initiative. I hit him with my helmet. He fell down, and other people came to keep him down," he said

He further added:

"I was at the right time in the right place."

As per Sunday World, one of the eyewitnesses stated that multiple individuals arrived at the location to help when they witnessed the stabbing.

"This all happened in a matter of seconds, and after her courageous actions, another two children suffered superficial stabbing injuries to their chest and shoulder in what was a frenzied incident," they said.

They continued:

"At this stage, a number of very brave members of the public, including pedestrians and cyclists, arrived on the scene, and the suspect was taken down after he was hit with a motorcycle helmet in the face."

Caio Benicio was one of the people who tackled the attacker. As per CBS News, he is a father of two and does not consider himself a hero for what he did. He stated that "every parent would do the same."

In the comments section of his recent Instagram post, Caio Benicio was praised by netizens for being brave. They hailed him as a "true hero" and thanked him for what he did.

Netizens praise Caio Benicio for his bravery (Image via Instagram/@caiobenicio80)

A lady in her 30s also defended two children from the attacker. However, she was injured in the process and is under medical care.

As per Sky News, the stabbing incident sparked protests that turned violent. This came after rumors swirled online that the attacker was an immigrant. The people of Dublin were outraged and anti-immigration protests soon broke out. Officials arrived with riot shields and tried to handle the crowd. Over 400 officers were reportedly deployed to respond to the situation.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee reportedly said:

"This is not about immigration, this is not about the young children who are in hospital this evening. These are criminals, these are thugs who have come into our city centre and have used a horrific attack on innocent children this evening for their own gain and benefit."

34 people have reportedly been arrested following the incident.