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Sheriff: Florida Chick-fil-A employee stops carjacking by tackling man outside restaurant

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FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — A Florida Chick-fil-A employee is being praised for his quick thinking after he tackled a man trying to carjack a woman with a baby on Wednesday, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said.

The employee, identified as Mykel Gordon, can be seen in a video tackling the man in the restaurant's parking lot while a woman in the background was holding a baby screamed.

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The sheriff's office said the suspect, 43-year-old William Branch, approached the victim as she was taking her baby out of her car.

While holding a stick, he demanded her keys, then took them from the waistband of her pants and went inside the vehicle, authorities said.

The sheriff's office said that Gordon ran to intervene when the woman screamed for help.

Authorities said Branch punched Gordon in the face, but it didn't cause a serious injury.

Branch was charged with carjacking with a weapon and battery. Gordon said Branch was involved in another incident shortly before the attempted carjacking.

The restaurant said it's relieved everyone is safe and is proud of Gordon's courage.

Emily McCain at WFTS in Tampa Bay, Florida, first reported this story.