DeMar DeRozan’s daughter, 7, stops home invader
The intruder signaled for her silence when she saw him, but instead, young Diar ran and alerted her parents he was there.
The seven-year-old daughter of NBA player DeMar DeRozan is being called a hero after reports surfaced that she was the one who spotted an intruder in their home last month.
DeRozan confronted the suspect at around 7 p.m. on Nov. 19 after he spent more than 17 minutes inside the family’s home.
It was previously reported that 22-year-old Justin Bergquist was looking for the nearby home of Kylie Jenner.
TMZ reports that the official police report says “when the suspect saw [DeRozan’s daughter], he put his finger to his lips and signaled for her to be quiet.”
The little girl, Diar, instead ran downstairs and alerted her parents. Her mother called 911, while DeRozan confronted the intruder, who fled the home.
In an interview about the incident, DeRozan — who plays for the San Antonio Spurs but lives in Los Angeles — confirmed the encounter. He said, “Yeah, everything is good. I grew up in Compton, California. I’ve been through worse.”
Bergquist has been charged with felony burglary, and restraining orders have been filed for him to stay away from both the DeRozan family home and that of Jenner.
Read More: Pee Wee football coach punches child, 9, in the face twice in viral video
Before this encounter, DeRozan was most recently in the news for his charitable giving. He funded a renovation of a weight room at the University of Southern California, where he previously played before entering the NBA.
DeRozan upgraded the weight room to better accommodate USC’s taller athletes. Despite only playing one season with the school, his impact there was so palpable, USC retired his #10 jersey.
Read More: Support for Obamacare back at record high, Gallup poll shows
Sports reporter Jeff McDonald recently noted on Twitter that the 6’6” shooting guard has “spent much of the offseason training in Montana. Who on Earth does he know in Montana? ‘Exactly why I went there,’ he said.”
DeRozan has two daughters with wife Kiara Morrison: seven-year-old Diar and Mari, who’s three years younger.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s “Dear Culture” podcast? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today!
