EXCLUSIVE: How Planet Hollywood hero helped apprehend druggie Navy vet who plowed into Times Square tourists

  • Ken Bradix, 47, from Brooklyn, was in Times Square when Richard Rojas plowed into pedestrians on Thursday
  • The Planet Hollywood bouncer was at work when he heard screams and saw a car careen onto the sidewalk
  • Bradix chased after Rojas, who attempted to flee police following the crash
  • He sat on Rojas, while two others held his arms, until police arrived to arrest him
  • Bradix says it's 'nice to be appreciated' but he doesn't view his actions as heroic

By Mary Kekatos For Dailymail.com

Published: 18:57 EDT, 18 May 2017 | Updated: 06:13 EDT, 19 May 2017

A fast-acting bystander helped police capture the out-of-control motorist accused of mowing down more than 20 pedestrians - and killing one - in Times Square in New York City on Thursday. 

Ken Bradix, 47, was at his job as Door Host Supervisor of the area's Planet Hollywood restaurant when Richard Rojas mounted the curb.

When the 26-year-old tried to flee the scene after crashing his car, Bradix got to him first - tackling him to the ground before others arrived to assist.

The bouncer laid on top of Rojas until police appeared to arrest him.

Bradix spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com about how the day's events unfolded and, while many have described the Brooklynite's actions as 'heroic', he says he doesn't see himself as a hero in any way.

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Ken Bradix, 47 (pictured), who works at the Planet Hollywood restaurant in Times Square, helped apprehend Richard Rojas, accused of mowing down more than 20 pedestrians - and killing one - in Times Square on Thursday

Ken Bradix, 47 (pictured), who works at the Planet Hollywood restaurant in Times Square, helped apprehend Richard Rojas, accused of mowing down more than 20 pedestrians - and killing one - in Times Square on Thursday

Bradix (in black cap and black shirt) was at work when heard screams and saw a car careen onto the sidewalk. After seeing Rojas (center) attempt to flee the scene, the Door Host Supervisor was the first to tackle him to the ground before others arrived to assist

Bradix (in black cap and black shirt) was at work when heard screams and saw a car careen onto the sidewalk. After seeing Rojas (center) attempt to flee the scene, the Door Host Supervisor was the first to tackle him to the ground before others arrived to assist

Bradix clocked into work around 9:30am and was there for about an hour and a half when he heard screams.

'I was in between Planet Hollywood and another store when I saw a car careening up the sidewalk, cross the street and hit a light pole,' he told DailyMail.com

'And the driver got out of the car and was running and screaming. No words, just screams.'

A crazed Rojas was pictured trying to flee police immediately after the crash, running across the road with his arms flailing.

'A traffic agent was yelling, "Get him! Get him!"' Bradix remembered. 

'So me and two other guys caught him and got him to the ground.'

Alpha Balde, 57, a ticket agent for CitySightseeing was the man who originally saw Rojas fleeing.

Balde told the NY Daily News that Bradix 'knocked [Rojas] out so bad you could see the blood coming out of his face. That's when I jumped in, I grabbed him from his neck and within about one minute everybody's there.' 

Bradix added: 'There were three of us on him. He was face down still screaming. 

'So I was laying on top of him on the small of his back and the two other guys were holding down his arms until police could get there.' 

When police arrived to arrest the crazed driver, who was believed to be high on synthetic marijuana, Bradix got off of him - but Rojas got into a fistfight with an cop as officers struggled to arrest him.

Bradix (with his hand on Rojas's neck) told DailyMail.com that he laid on top of the screaming Times Square killer - assisted by a CitySightseeing agent and another pedestrian - until police arrived to arrest him. Officers say Rojas got into a fistfight with a cop as officers struggled to arrest him

Bradix (with his hand on Rojas's neck) told DailyMail.com that he laid on top of the screaming Times Square killer - assisted by a CitySightseeing agent and another pedestrian - until police arrived to arrest him. Officers say Rojas got into a fistfight with a cop as officers struggled to arrest him

Bradix (pictured) said the day's events started to hit him after he began walking home from work and say bodies lying on the ground. He said: 'I walked to 43rd Street and I saw a guy laying on the ground with a tube down his throat and that's when it started to hit me. I wasn't very emotional but I needed to be alone'

Bradix (pictured) said the day's events started to hit him after he began walking home from work and say bodies lying on the ground. He said: 'I walked to 43rd Street and I saw a guy laying on the ground with a tube down his throat and that's when it started to hit me. I wasn't very emotional but I needed to be alone'

Bradix held Rojas's head against a construction site wall so officers could cuff him.

The bouncer said the realization of the day's events began affecting him as he was walking back to work and saw pedestrians lying on the ground.

'I walked to 43rd Street and I saw a guy laying on the ground with a tube down his throat and that's when it started to hit me,' he said.

'I wasn't very emotional but I needed to be alone.'

Bradix spent a couple of hours by himself before relaying to his coworkers what had happened. Many of them lauded him as a hero, but he doesn't see his actions as being heroic in any way.

'I think it's just doing the right thing,' he said.

'I was helping the NYPD out and the victims whose families couldn't be there. And I wasn't the only person who helped.

'I mean it's nice to be appreciated, but you should always try to do the right thing because you never know when you'll need help.'

Bradix (in black cap and shirt), from Brooklyn, said although he helped apprehend Rojas he doesn't see his actions as heroic. He told DailyMail.com: 'I think it's just doing the right thing. I mean it's nice to be appreciated, but you should always try to do the right thing because you never know when you'll need help'

Bradix (in black cap and shirt), from Brooklyn, said although he helped apprehend Rojas he doesn't see his actions as heroic. He told DailyMail.com: 'I think it's just doing the right thing. I mean it's nice to be appreciated, but you should always try to do the right thing because you never know when you'll need help'

Pictured: The Planet Hollywood restaurant where Bradix was working when the crash occurred. He says he'll be going to work as usual tomorrow, but his mental state is very 'up-and-down right now' and it'll take him a while to move past what he saw

Pictured: The Planet Hollywood restaurant where Bradix was working when the crash occurred. He says he'll be going to work as usual tomorrow, but his mental state is very 'up-and-down right now' and it'll take him a while to move past what he saw

Bradix says he'll be going to work as usual tomorrow and while he'll be there physically, it'll be much different mentally.

'It's up-and-down right now,' he said.

'I'm angry and upset at the same time. It's hard to move past things and you'll really can't because I saw this happen right in front of me. It was a terrible sight.'

Robert Earl, Chairman and CEO of Planet Hollywood International, told DailyMail.com in a statement:

'Today was a very sad day in Times Square. Our thoughts are with all the victims and their families. 

'Ken is an amazing man. He is spectacular at his job and, as you saw today, he will go to any extreme to help. 

'All of the staff are very proud of him and we are sending him to our Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas as a small thank you for his bravery.'  

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