Victim used hand signal to ask for help with escaping domestic violence situation, police say

ALHAMBRA, Calif. (KCAL/KCBS) - Authorities in Southern California say a good Samaritan helped a woman escape a domestic violence situation at a convenience store.

In this case, the woman used hand signals behind her back to alert those around her about needing help.

Police were called, and part of the incident was caught on body camera video.

The video released by Alhambra police shows what, they say, ended in a woman’s rescue.

Officers arrived at a 7-Eleven on Fremont and Montezuma Avenue after someone reported suspicious activity.

In the video posted by police on Sunday night, a man and a woman can be seen standing side-by-side.

Police say the woman had been trying to alert someone about a domestic violence incident using a hand signal behind her back.

The good Samaritan recognized the gesture and called 911.

“People do want to help. They reach out about how they can help and support survivors, and the fact that someone understood what the message was is amazing to me,” Carmen McDonald, executive director at the Survivor Justice Center, said.

McDonald says hand signals in this case highlight the importance of nonverbal communication and keeping an eye on one’s surroundings.

“This is something now that I’m going to talk to my team about and make sure that we integrate it into our safety planning that we do with survivors,” McDonald added.

The suspect, identified by police as John Palombi, of Glendora, is later seen on the video outside of the store speaking with officers.

When asked to stand up for a search, police say Palombi took off trying to run. Within seconds, he was tackled.

He was later arrested and booked. Police say he had an active warrant and was carrying a stun gun.

Advocates say the entire situation calls back to that initial hand signal that caught someone’s attention.

“Survivors use a myriad of ways to ask for help when they don’t feel comfortable, or are not safe, to ask for help directly,” Cristina Cortes, with the Downtown Women’s Center, said.

Created by the Canadian Women’s Foundation in 2020, the signal for help provides those experiencing domestic violence a discreet way to communicate when they need help.

It involves taking the palm of the hand and tucking the thumb into it before folding the fingers down to trap the thumb.

Cortes says situations like these can carry more weight, especially with Domestic Violence Awareness Month coming up in October.

“I would encourage that folks remember that you do have a role to play when it comes to addressing and intervening and preventing domestic violence,” Cortes said.

Domestic violence isn’t just an interpersonal dilemma; it’s a social and public health issue, according to Cortes. She believes more lives can be saved with additional education.

“It’s really cool that somebody took the initiative to be like, ‘OK, something’s off here. Let me see if I can help.’ And I think if we do that more often, I think we can get closer to hopefully eradicating violence,” Cortes said.

Authorities are holding the suspect without bail.