Israeli woman in US chases down, restrains male jogger who flashed her

An Israeli single mother living in Massachusetts chased down a man who exposed himself to her, in an incident which was captured on video and has been widely reported in US media.

Aia Polansky, 33, told ABC News on Friday that she was out for a morning run in Cambridge on July 18 when a man pulled down his pants “all the way down to his knees” as she passed him. The man also reached out to try to grab her, she said.

“I said, ‘No, hell no!’ I chased this guy down. I want him to know that I’m not afraid of him,” said Polansky, a single mother of three.

After running down the jogger, Polansky tried to physically restrain him as she asked passersby to call the police.

“Nobody did. I let my hand off him because I realized that nobody can help me out. I had to do it myself,” she said, adding that she managed to detain him for three to five minutes before he escaped.

Massachusetts State Police, who have launched a search for the suspect, on Wednesday released footage of the incident in which the 6’1 Polansky can be seen running the jogger down and attempting to grab him.

“I think she put the fear of god in the guy,” a state trooper told ABC.

Polansky said she chose to act to not be a victim and because “I just knew that if I’m not going to get this guy now then the next girl will be raped.”

“I choose to be a strong person and not to be a victim in situations, and that’s what I’m trying to put out there,” she said.

She also issued a warning to the suspected flasher.

“I’m going to get you. I told you I’m going to get you. And as you see, big mistake. It was a stupid big mistake,” she said.

The story was widely picked up by US media, which highlighted Polansky’s career as a physical trainer and her military service in Israel, which is mandatory for all Israeli citizens.

“Inside Edition” even compared her to Israeli actress and “Wonder Woman” star Gal Gadot, as both served in the Israel Defense Forces.