On Thursday, September 15, 2022, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office stopped by the Fort Walton Beach Chick-fil-A to honor employee Mykel Gordon for his heroic actions that put a stop to a would-be carjacking the previous day.
“What we say a lot of times is service is in our DNA,” said Sheriff Eric Aden in a Facebook video. “That’s our mantra, that’s our motto.”
Speaking directly to Gordon, Sheriff Aden went on to say, “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.”
Sheriff Aden told Gordon that while he is certainly glad that Gordon is working for our beloved Chick-fil-A, he told him that if he was ever interested, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has an opening for him.
Gordon was then presented with the OCSO’s Challenge Coin along with a Certificate of Community Service Award.
In the now viral video, Gordon was seen coming to the aid of a woman who was screaming for help as a man was attempting to steal her vehicle.
According to the Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office, the suspect was seen physically restraining a female victim who was holding a small child. The suspect robbed the victim of her car keys and entered her vehicle with the intent of stealing it in his escape. Ultimately, Gordon removed the suspect from the driver’s seat before he could flee.
- Gordon physically restrained the perpetrator on the ground, and after a brief struggle, was able to keep him from fleeing the parking lot until deputies arrived.
Deputies then learned that the suspect had armed himself with a sharpened plank during the robbery, and had burglarized a local home earlier in the day in the City of Fort Walton Beach. During that particular incident, the suspect attempted to steal a purse before being confronted by the homeowner.
As a result of Mykel Gordon’s actions, and the community working together, the suspect was positively identified by the resident during the joint investigation between the Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.
- Due to his courageous actions and unhesitating response, no innocent patrons were injured during this incident.
