Butler police praised several good Samaritans who chased down and subdued a knife-wielding purse snatcher Sunday night.

One of the men who rushed to help was stabbed in the hand. The injury, however, was not believed to be serious.

“We commend the great citizens of Butler for their actions,” said Deputy Police Chief David Adam. “They did an excellent job. Thank goodness no one was too badly hurt.”

The suspect, 25-year-old Zachariah A. Swann, who is a felon, is in the Butler County Prison on $50,000 bail, and is facing a pair of felony and other charges.

Bernice Rasely, 48, of Butler was walking to her car shortly before 9 p.m. when she noticed a man, later identified as Swann, sitting on the wall of a business in the 100 block of North Monroe Street, according to investigating officer Sgt. William Mayhugh.

The stranger, wearing a gray hooded sweat shirt, asked for a light for his cigarette and Rasely provided one. But she told police that when she turned her back, the suspect suddenly had her in a headlock, according to court documents.

“(Swann) told her to shut up and give him her money,” Mayhugh said in an affidavit he filed with the criminal complaint.

He allegedly snatched her purse and ran off.

Zachary Angert, 29, was nearby. The Summit Township man heard a woman scream that her purse was stolen, and he jumped to action. So did several onlookers.

Angert and the others took off after the man. Angert was first to chase down and tackle the defendant in a parking lot, police said.

However, the suspect was armed and not about to give up without a fight.

He whipped out a large fixed-blade knife and waved it at Angert, who was stabbed in the palm of his right hand, according to investigators,

A medical crew checked out the injury but Angert did not need immediate hospital treatment, Adam said.

The suspected robber again took off running, but the other bystanders-turned-responders quickly had him cornered in a parking lot on North Elm Street.

Swann began “waving a knife at everyone,” one witness told police.

Undeterred, the gang of good citizens swarmed the defendant, took him to the ground and took away his knife, documents said.

Police arrived and found the suspect on the ground, being detained by the others.

At some point while being chased, Swann allegedly discarded the purse. When Rasely got it back, $15 was missing.

When officers searched Swann, he was found carrying $15, documents said.

Swann was arraigned Monday on charges of aggravated assault, robbery, possessing an instrument of crime and carrying a prohibitive offensive weapon. His preliminary hearing is 9 a.m. Monday.

Court records showed that Swann has a criminal record in Allegheny County, including a felony conviction for disarming a law enforcement officer in 2008 and for misdemeanor drug possession in 2013.

While Adam heralded the quick-acting citizens’ willingness to get involved to aid a crime victim, he said police do not encourage the public to expose themselves to such danger.

“We praise them for chasing and confronting an armed suspect. But we’re concerned for their safety,” he said. “Be vigilant but be careful — that’s what we encourage of our citizens.”