FOX 11 photographer Tony Buttitta springs into action to help hit-and-run victim

LOS ANGELES - Talk about being at the right place at the right time.

FOX 11 news photographer Tony Buttitta jumped into action to help a citizen in need following a hit-and-run in downtown Los Angeles early Thursday morning.

As he was on his way to meet FOX 11’s Gigi Graciette before her scheduled live shot outside City Hall about the continued fallout following a racism scandal involving three LA City councilmembers, Buttitta witnessed a hit-and-run.

Without hesitation, Buttitta pulled over and tended to the bicyclist who had been struck by a hit-and-run driver until first responders arrived.

His heroic efforts were caught on camera by a different news photographer who responded to the scene. To his colleagues, being a good Samaritan came as no surprise.

"If you know Tony, he has the biggest heart," Good Day LA’s Sandra Endo said. "He always works so hard, springs into action and is just so helpful in any situation. He is just there when you need him."

"It’s not just the right place at the right time, he did the right thing. Because if you think about it, someone would say his natural inclination would be to gather news, but obviously he went to help this poor man and hopefully that man’s going to be ok," Good Day LA anchor Araksya Karapetyan added.

"He’s a human first, and a great one at that," Good Day LA’s Brooke Thomas said.

Buttitta also proudly serves as a reserve deputy for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.