OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — A Chick-fil-A employee is going viral for his heroic efforts in helping a woman with a baby from getting carjacked.
The young employee rushed to help the woman outside of a Fort Walton Beach-area restaurant, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said a man grabbed the woman's keys and tried to take her car while she was getting the infant out of the vehicle.
The woman said the man approached her with a stick, demanding she give up her keys before growing impatient and grabbing them from the waistband of her pants, deputies said. The man then opened her car door and got inside.
That's when the woman screamed for help - and the employee jumped into action.
Another customer shared video of the encounter, shared by the sheriff's office, showing the Chick-fil-A employee getting the carjacking suspect in a headlock in the parking lot of the restaurant.
Deputies said the man punched the employee in the face, and according to video, the two continued to fight on the pavement. Other people came to interfere but by then the suspect ran off, footage shows.
Deputies managed to arrest the 43-year-old man. He is now facing a carjacking with a weapon and battery charge.
"A major shout-out to this young man for his courage!" the sheriff's office said.
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at WhereAtlantaSpeaks@11Alive.com.
MORE WAYS TO GET 11ALIVE
- Download our streaming app on Roku and Fire TV
- Download the 11Alive News mobile app
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
- Watch live streams on YouTube