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Watch: Chick-fil-A worker fights off carjacker, rescues woman and baby

“A major shout out to this young man for his courage,” the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said on social media

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By Devoun Cetoute
Miami Herald

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida Chick-fil-A worker went above the call of fast food service Wednesday when he tussled with a would-be carjacker — saving a woman with a baby from danger, authorities said.

“A major shout-out to this young man for his courage!,” the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office posted on its Facebook.

The woman was trying to get her infant out of her car when William Branch, a 43-year-old man from DeFuniak Springs, came up to her armed with a stick and demanded her keys, the sheriff’s office said.

Branch snatched the keys from the waistband of her pants, opened her car door and got inside.

The young employee was working outside his Fort Walton Beach Chick-fil-A when he heard the woman’s screams pleading for help, the sheriff’s office said.

He ran over to intervene and Branch punched him in the face.

https://www.facebook.com/OkaloosaSheriff/videos/564411928810013/

A video taken from a bystander show the two fighting each other in the parking lot. The young man puts Branch into a headlock and pins him to the ground before other Chick-fil-A workers rushed over.

The sheriff’s office said the young man was not seriously injured. Branch is being charged with carjacking with a weapon and battery.

Over a thousand people shared thoughts on the harrowing video of the two fighting, many singing praises for the young employee and congratulating him on a “job well done”.

“Chick-fil-A is about to be even busier than normal as the entire community is gonna want to go shake this hero’s hand to say thank you for being awesome!” Holly Marie commented.

Mai Sylva commented, “That was a very brave young man! Thank to the parents of his raised a great son/young man that lot of us need to follow his awesome quick thinking to help someone in desperate need!! His employer should give him the employee of the year!!!”

©2022 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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