Shoppers were quick to respond, pelting the attacker with various items to distract and confuse him. This worked, as he was restrained with some minor injuries. As people began to pin him down, the man began convulsing and screaming the words "witches, witches" repeatedly. They then managed to disarm him of several small knives he had used. McDowell later stated, "I just saw people from the public trying to restrain the man. There would've been about three or four people, he almost got loose again." She assisted in giving the male victim stabbed in his neck first aid, using her reusable shopping bag to apply pressure to his wounds. A supermarket worker also assisted the man using his jersey.
