Mom Who Yanked Son Off Baltimore Streets Speaks Out: 'And At That Point...Not Even Thinking About Cameras

The Baltimore mother who was caught on camera yanking her son off the streets after catching him rioting recounted the incident Tuesday.

"He gave me eye contact. And at that point, you know, not even thinking about cameras or anything like that. That's my only son and at the end of the day I don't want him to be a Freddie Gray," Toya Graham told CBS News.

"There's some days that I'll shield him in the house just so he won't go outside and I know that I can't do that for the rest of my life," she continued. "I'm a no-tolerant mother. Everybody that knows me, know I don't play that."

"He knew he was in trouble," Graham added. "He said when 'I seen you,' he said, 'ma, my instinct was to run.'"

Video of Graham approaching her son and slapping him on live television went viral. Many online hailed her as the "mom of the year" for her actions.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said Tuesday that he had seen the video.

"I wish I had more parents who took charge of their kids tonight," he said, according to WJZ-TV.

Baltimore descended into chaos Monday as individuals upset with the recent death of a man in police custody rioted across the city, setting fires and attacking police officers.

This story has been updated with more information.

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