Journee Nelson, a 9-year-old girl, showed exemplary courage defending her mother from an attacker outside of a Florida supermarket at the beginning of the month.

On Nov. 2, Journee's mother, Danielle Mobley, was assaulted outside of the Sabor Tropical Supermarket in West Palm Beach. In the surveillance video, the mother and daughter can be seen walking to their car in the parking lot. A man, later identified by police as 29-year-old Demetrius Jackson, follows behind them and suddenly rushes toward Mobley. The mother was putting her groceries in the car before being shoved to the ground.

The suspect attempts to steal Mobley's purse before Journee circles the car to assist her mother and punches the assailant in the face. Mobley eventually releases her purse and the suspect runs away with it, with the 9-year-old trailing behind him.

“I counterattacked. I had to save my mother,” Journee said to reporters, according to Florida News Times.

Mobley said she was shocked when her daughter pursued the suspect for five blocks.

"I didn't expect her to take off after him," The Florida mom said, Florida News Times reports.

Two days after the assault, Jackson was arrested, according to 7 News Miami Report.

Jackson ended up getting away with Mobley's purse that held her Samsung mobile phone, gum, several bank cards, a Coach wallet, $40 in cash and a concealed carry permit. He is charged with robbery and battery. 

“I wouldn’t recommend that you confront an individual like that, but in the heat of the moment things happen. I bet he was shocked when she hit him right in his face because you can definitely tell on the videotape that he was not expecting that, and her actions were perfect timing in this particular situation, and I think she hit him pretty hard," West Palm Beach Police Chief Frank Adderley said, according to the Miami Herald.

Journee was celebrated by the West Palm Beach police officials for her quick thinking and courage. The police department also gifted her with a medal, a certificate and a Target card. 

“I’m very proud of her, which was her first reaction. She is still mentally working on this, so I hope things can be a little different from time to time," Mobley said.

Danielle-MobleyDemetrius-JacksonJesy-NelsonWest-Palm-Police-Department