'I knew I had to act': Watch quick thinking-Connecticut barbers save little girl's life

Two quick-thinking barbers in Connecticut are being hailed as heroes after they sprinted from their shop when they saw a toddler running in the street toward traffic.

Osvaldo Lugo and Rafael Santana of LookSharp Barbershop were busy working on customers when they spotted a little girl running by the shop toward a busy street, security footage from incident in East Hartford on April 10 shows.

Lugo and Santana immediately dashed out of the shop and ran frantically toward the girl, grabbing her just a couple of feet before she reached the busy main road.

'I knew I had to act,' says barber

Lugo also posted the video of the incident on social media, describing it as “a scary experience.”

Speaking to the Hartford Courant, Lugo said that many accidents had previously taken place at the intersection where he saved the girl. The 47-year-old barber said that his fatherly instincts kicked in when he saw the toddler.

“When I saw the baby running down the street, I knew I had to act,” Lugo told The Courant. “I couldn’t stop to think. All I thought was this was a recipe for disaster."

Lugo added that being a father, he knows that "they’ll run all over if you don’t keep an eye on them."

"I know what it’s like to be a dad," he added. “I’m humbled to be the one to be there."

Toddler escaped mother

The East Hartford Police Department, in a post on social media, said that the toddler had escaped her mother and started "moving towards traffic on Main Street."

The police department lauded the two barbers for their quick-thinking and bravery and said that they are "incredibly grateful for these everyday heroes."

"Thanks to them, a potential tragedy was averted, and a family remains whole," the police department said.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.