Randy Prudhomme lost his life this week after stepping in to help a woman being harassed.
"He didn't like to see people get mistreated or hurt somebody and they are helpless," said Prudhomme's wife Edith. "It's like somebody needs to say something, that would be him."
A candlelight memorial has been set up at the scene of the deadly altercation to honor Prudhomme, a caring man whom friends and family say was simply trying to do the right thing.
"Typical chivalry, he's doing a good thing and ended up bad for everybody, impacts the family in ways people can't imagine," said brother-in-law Walli Munir.
The 56-year-old grandfather had just gotten off the bus Wednesday afternoon when he saw a man harassing and verbally attacking a young woman outside a nail salon.
Witnesses say Prudhomme stepped in to help.
"The man say don't do woman like that stop, stop," said witness Tina Nguyen.
Nguyen says the suspect shoved Prudhomme to the ground, slamming his head against the pavement. He was rushed to the hospital, but died a day later.
"It's hard to digest every time I think about he had to be by himself," said Prudhomme's wife Edith.
His devastated family says it took police and California Hospital Medical Center 24 hours to notify them of the attack even though Prudhomme had his identification and cell phone. California Hospital said it is looking into the matter.
Authorities say that the suspect turned himself in and is being held on a parole violation. Witnesses say the suspect has been harassing people in the area for several weeks.
