FORT WALTON BEACH, FL – A Chick-fil-A employee out of Fort Walton Beach is being heralded as a Good Samaritan after he helped stop a carjacking in-progress at the restaurant’s parking lot earlier in September, physically subduing the suspect who police say was victimizing a woman with a baby just outside of the eatery.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said the attempted carjacking occurred during the afternoon of September 14th at the Chick-fil-A location situated at 743 Beal Parkway in Fort Walton Beach.
Officials say a female victim exiting her vehicle while holding a baby was approached by a 43-year-old male suspect, identified as William Branch of DeFuniak Springs, with the suspect allegedly “wielding a stick and demanding her keys.”
Branch reportedly “grabbed the keys from the waistband of her pants, opened her car door, and got inside,” while the female victim stood outside of her vehicle while screaming for help. As the woman was screaming for help, Chick-fil-A employee Mykel Gordon heard the woman’s cries for help and sprung into action.
Witness video captured at the scene of the incident shows Gordon physically subduing Branch – taking the alleged carjacker to the ground and placing him in a headlock. Authorities say during the physical struggle, Branch had punched Gordon in the face, but the press release from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office noted that Gordon “was not seriously injured” during the scuffle.
After Branch was restrained by Gordon, another woman at the restaurant parking lot accosted the carjacking suspect, saying, “She had a baby in her hands! She had a baby in her hands! How dare you! How dare you scare her like that!”
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has extended accolades for the bravery showcased by Gordon, mentioning in a statement, “A major shout-out to this young man for his courage.”
On September 15th, Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden paid a personal visit to Gordon, giving the hero a special coin and an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Community Service Award, while also extending an invitation to join the sheriff’s office should he ever fancy a career in law enforcement.
“What we say a lot of times is that service is in our DNA. That’s our motto. You clearly have service in your DNA from the job that you do here, but you served and protected yesterday, and that’s what we do on a daily basis. Obviously, I’m so glad you work here, for Chick-fil-A, with a wonderful organization that you have here. But if ever you’re interested, please know we have an opening for you, and we’d be honored to sponsor you as a cadet.”
Matthew Sexton, who runs the Chick-fil-A branch where Gordon works, is also proud of his employee, saying of the young man, “I’m grateful for my amazing team member, Mykel Gordon, who so selflessly jumped in to intervene and help our guests. I couldn’t be prouder of his incredible act of care.”
The Chick-fil-A’s official Facebook page for the location where Gordon works also commended his actions, noting in a post, “This is the HERO! This is Mykel Gordon! At Chick-fil-A, our mission is to ‘Serve’ and today Mykel took it further……to ‘Save.'”
Branch has since been charged with carjacking with a weapon and battery, according to officials.
This piece was written by Gregory Hoyt on September 15, 2022. It originally appeared on RedVoiceMedia.com and is used with permission.
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