Phoenix Father Fatally Punches, Kicks Panhandler Who Allegedly Tried to Break into Daughter's Bathroom Stall

A vigilante dad sent an alleged panhandler to his grave with a flurry of punches and stomps after learning he was trying to jimmy into his daughter's bathroom stall at a Phoenix convenience shop, authorities said.

Melvin Harris III, 40, was arrested after allegedly inflicting a brutal beatdown on Leon Leevon Armstrong at a parking lot just outside a QuikTrip located on North 19th Avenue at around 11:30 p.m. on August 2, according to a Phoenix Police Department report obtained by Newsweek.

In it, Harris, who recently relocated to the city, told cops that he drove up to the gas station to pick up his teenage daughter and two of her friends.

While idling in the parking lot, Harris said a man, whom cops later identified as Armstrong, allegedly asked the dad "for money."

Harris said he "gave him change," according to the report.

Armstrong took the coins and walked off into the convenience store.

Harris's daughter and her friends then came out of the same convenience store, spotted her father inside his car and shared the violating experience of some stranger trying "to get into this daughter's closed and locked stall door in the women's bathroom," report states.

As Armstrong was exiting the QuikTrip Harris's daughter "pointed him out" as the same alleged perp who attempted to break into her locked bathroom stall.

At first, Harris alerted an on-duty security guard inside the shop about the perverted incident with his daughter and, the report states, told him, "he needed to take care of the situation or he would do it himself."

The guard allegedly assured the concerned dad that they "would handle the situation."

But Harris allegedly couldn't wait.

Rather, Harris allegedly returned to his car and "pulled it up to a gravel area near the parking lot" where Armstrong adjourned.

Harris then darted toward Armstrong and "punched him in the face" sending him to the ground, the report states.

Witnesses later told police that they could hear the Armstrong on the ground "snoring and moaning" after the lone face punch.

Then Harris allegedly hovered over the wounded man and "struck" him in the face "several more times and also kicked and [stomped] on him," according to the report.

When Harris was apparently done with Armstrong, he returned to his car and sped off back to his home, the report states.

Investigators paid Harris a visit at his home and he admitted "to being involved" in the incident involving Armstrong, the report states.

The dad was brought under arrest and taken to police headquarters, where he answered more questions about what happened at the QuikTrip.

Harris allegedly told investigators that he landed a shot to Armstrong who fell to the ground and "curled into a ball," according to the report.

However, Harris said the entire duel was in self-defense.

"...[Harris] admitted to punching the victim in the face, but said it was only because the victim swung at him first, striking him near the neck and shoulder area," the report states.

When prompted to explain the second flurry of kicks and punches, Harris, the report adds, "denied recalling any further strikes to the victim while he was down on the ground."

After the attack, Armstrong was rushed to a local hospital where he was initially unconscious from brain swelling and a nasal fracture. Harris was originally hit with aggravated assault charges for the fight.

But once Armstrong succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead, prosecutors on August 10 upped the charges to one count of second-degree murder, according to the indictment.

Harris is being held on $100,000 bond, Maricopa County Sheriff's confirmed. It's unclear if he has retained a defense attorney.