I see boths sides here

For one thing, I can fully understand such a hostile reaction when someone's child is hurt in such a manner. If it was my kid, or simply a kid that I loved (particularly a teen girl I may love), I would want to do mortal harm to the perpetrator also. I am not even certain the guy in question was a true ped; he could have been a card carrying rapist who simply decided to target a child in a purely opportunistic manner; if rapists can target old women, why not a child?

But regardless of whether or not the guy was a true pedo or not, I can see both sides here.

For one thing, the desire to protect a child that you love is extremely strong. I can understand any parent or any adult who truly loves a child (or teen) in any manner reacting in a violent way towards any perpetrator who truly harms the child. So I see Sancho's point. But on the other hand (Henny's point), sometimes this protective 'instinct' leads to attempts by parents to control their kids "for their own good," or to protect them from people that the child does not want to be protected from (for example, a loving pedo or hebe whom the child or teen loves and trusts in return). So what we often call the protective "instinct" isn't inherently noble or pure; it can have its dark side, just as all forms of love can, and sometimes it manifests in good and wonderful ways, and other times in ways that are not in the best interests of the child in question, or for society in general, if the current pedo hysteria is any indication; the latter is a sign of the parental protection "instinct" going to its dark extreme, and when we reach this point, our society begins heading down the way of draconian rule and paranoia.

But in a case where actual, demonstrable harm was inflicted on the child, then it's completely understandable for a parent or other adult who loves a child to react in such a manner. So again, I can see Sancho's point. But I also see Henny's point: if we routinely take the law into our own hands, then where does it end? Shouldn't the police at least be given the chance to do their job and handle the situation? Do we actually believe that lynch mobs are sometimes a good thing? Just think of what would happen if MAAs who engaged in mutually consensual and loving relationships were lynched by parents, or if people routinely started attacking and attempting to beat down any MAA who simply happened to live in their neighborhood "just in case" he was a threat.

So this is what I think. If the parent (or other adult) actually catches the perp in the act of harming their child, then by all means beat the bastard within an inch of his life...and then call the police. But if the child comes to you and reports the incident, then call the police rather than grabbing a rifle or baseball bat and going out and hunting the perp down yourself; if too much of the latter happens, then, as Henny said, civilization would not be civilized. Believe me, I do understand the parental instinct to protect their children, but we need to be masters of our emotions, not the other way around. But if the guy is caught in the act...by all means, beat the fucker to death.