[kellyhound]

A man in Arizona was arrested after attempting to take a woman's wheelchair while she was riding the city's light rail before heroic passengers on board came to her rescue.

The Phoenix Police Department said the incident happened on Friday, Nov. 29, around 3:40 p.m. at the light rail stop on 12th and Jefferson Streets.

"Despite his reindeer slippers, this criminal was NOT spreading holiday cheer," police said.

Officials said as the train pulled into the station, 26-year-old Austin Shurbutt grabbed the woman's chair as she tried to hold on before being eventually dumped onto the floor.

Surveillance footage from the train showed the moment that Shurbutt forces the woman out of her chair and onto the floor.

It took police just a day to find the man accused of brutally attacking a woman on the light rail and attempting to take her wheelchair, but now his ex-wife is speaking out after receiving threats about a man who she says she's no longer with.

"It made me disgusted that he would do something like that because he has a child with a special need," said Shannon Shurbutt.

The ex-wife of 26-year-old Austin Shurbutt says she is appalled that this even happened.

"He and I share a child in common and our child has autism," she said. "What if that happened to my daughter.

I would be scared for my child. I can only imagine what this young woman was feeling like being thrown out of her chair."

The 26-year-old was arrested after thousands shared his picture on social media. He has two outstanding warrants, and faces five new charges including robbery, kidnapping and assault, according to Phoenix police.

"He was still wearing the reindeer slippers when he was arrested," the department said.