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A man has been charged with attempted kidnap after he chased a woman into a karate studio and was subdued by an instructor, US police say.

August Williams, 47, allegedly tried to drag the woman into his car outside the studio in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday evening.

But she was able to break free and ran into the building to ask for help before he followed her inside.

He then faced off with the studio's head instructor, Randall Ephraim.

"I asked how I could assist him and he stated that he was there for the lady," Mr Ephraim told CNN. "She insisted that she did not know him."

"He then tried to force himself further into the dojo [and was] aggressively pushing and swinging," he said.

"I then went into action defending myself," he explained. "Once outside he attempted to attack again and was dealt with accordingly."

Mr Williams then reportedly fled the studio but was chased down by some of its students.

When the police arrived he tried to attack several officers, local media report, before he was arrested and taken to hospital on a stretcher.

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He is facing a number of charges including attempted kidnap, assault and drug possession.

"It's a great thing the people in there were able to help defend [the woman]," Police Captain J.D. Thomas told local news website WSOC.

"It's extremely lucky that it was a karate studio and usually you don't see a suspect act like this," he added.