Nashali Alma, 24, received the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office’s first-ever “Strength and Courage Award” at a ceremony Wednesday night after Sheriff Chad Chronister said her actions will impact the lives of other women.
“I was ready to cry with tears of joy and happiness that I was able to inspire everyone,” Alma told Fox 13.
“Everyone is so proud of me, they’re calling me a hero. It was just so overwhelming I am just so happy.”
Frightening footage of the Jan. 22 incident was released last month showing Alma exercising in the gym at the Inwood Park Apartment Complex in Tampa when she let in her attacker, 25-year-old Xavier Thomas-Jones, into the building before continuing her workout.
She said she believed he was also there to work out, as she had seen him before, Alma told police.
Thomas-Jones then approached her and tried to grab Alma’s wrists. She pushes him away before he starts chasing her around the gym, video shows.
“I said, ‘Bro, what the F are you doing? Get away from me. Stop trying to touch me.’
He started chasing me around the bench, and we ended up on the other side of the gym,” Alma said in a voice recording accompanying the video.
The incident happened in January inside a gym at an apartment complex in Carrollwood, but the agency released footage last month, showing Alma, a bodybuilder, defending herself against the suspect, 25-year-old Xavier Thomas-Jones.
Alma said she didn't think much of it when she heard a knock at the door. She told authorities she had seen the suspect work out at the gym before, and opened the door for him. According to his arrest affidavit, he also lived at Inwood Park Apartment on West Waters Avenue.
A few minutes after Thomas-Jones entered, he walked up to her and tried to grab her waist. She yelled at him and told him to get away from her, but he chased her around the gym at the apartment complex.
Alma threw several punches, even striking him with her phone. Thomas-Jones tackled her and appeared to have pinned her to the ground, but she continued fighting. Thomas-Jones eventually released his grip on her, and Alma ran out of the gym to a nearby apartment.
At the time, she told officials she believes she tired him out. The suspect was arrested the next day.
"I was ready to cry with tears of joy and happiness that I was able to inspire everyone," Alma said after receiving the award Wednesday. "Everyone is so proud of me, they're calling me a hero. It was just so overwhelming I am just so happy."
She was one of several people recognized during the ceremony. HCSO plans to hold three more award ceremonies throughout the year.
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