Guy beating up his girlfriend on the street

[tonypaladino]

About an hour ago (130 AM) I went outside to get some air and smoke a cigarette. There was a dude down the block with his girlfriend and they were arguing and yelling.

Then the dude yells "bitch, bite your tounge" and she says "f-ck you" and he grabs her by the arm and slams her into the metal gate of the hardware store they're standing in front of.

I am the only other person on the street, and I consider getting involved. The guy was obviously very irate and could have been intoxicated. I really wanted to go help her, but with the way things are today the guy could have had a weapon and there is always the possibility he has friends in car or neerby somewhere.

So, I go around the corner and call 911. the cops come literally 30 seconds later (I guess there was a car heading in our direction at the time) and the cops broke up the fight. I didn't stick around to see if the guy got arrested or anything.

What do you think, should I have tried to intervene?

The guy was slapping her and pushing her, but nothing that she was in danger of being killed, but if I called the police and while waiting for them the situation really got life-threatening for the girl, then should I have stepped in?