Man arrested after attacking officer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- A man has been arrested after he attacked an officer at a convenience store.

A Fort Lauderdale Police officer was seen on surveillance video grabbing a soda and a water at a convenience store located on 3105 Davie Boulevard, at around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Moments earlier, a 23-year-old man was ordered to leave the store after numerous complaints of bothering customers and not paying for items.

The man was seen on surveillance being escorted by the store clerk and told not to return. Store owner, Ahassan Shamim said the officer was going to let the man go with a warning to not trespass, but the man failed to cooperate.

While the officer was arresting him, he kicked the officer in the ankle. "He tried to get up, and when the officer tried to put him in handcuffs, he hit the officer," said Shamim. "The officer was on the floor. He broke a leg. He couldn't get up. "

Shamim and an employee grabbed the man and took him to the ground. "In this incident you see them as being heroes," said Fort Lauderdale police spokesperson DeAnna Garcia. "They rendered aid to an officer at a time when he didn't have anyone else, and he was keeping up with the fight while still injured and in pain."

The man was then arrested. He appeared in bond court on Wednesday and told the judge he was homeless.

He has been charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.

The officer suffered a broken ankle.

(Copyright 2012 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)