A quick-thinking Chick-fil-A customer was captured on camera helping cops during an intense moment. The video has gone viral on social media.
The Jacksonville Police Department is singing the praises of a “hangry but helpful” Chick-fil-A customer after the man’s quick-thinking helped them apprehend an escaping suspect in Jacksonville, Texas. It all began when officers attempted to apprehend a suspect, who they say was driving a stolen vehicle. The man jumped from the car to escape the police. Taking off on foot, he ran into the parking lot of a Chick-fil-A, but he wouldn’t get far.
Thinking he could easily escape, the suspect tried to run between the line of cars waiting in the Chick-fil-A drive-thru with officers from the Jacksonville Police Department in hot pursuit. He’d soon find out, however, that was a big mistake when an unnamed customer, who was waiting in the drive-thru when the incident unfolded, wasted no time flying into action — and it was all caught on video.
As the suspect sprinted from a Jacksonville Police Department officer, crisscrossing between the line of cars queued in the drive-thru while being chased, he was spotted by an onlooker in a white truck, who was waiting in line for his chicken sandwich, according to KLTV.
Instinctively, the quick-thinking customer waited until just the right moment, then he threw open his truck door. That was all it took to stop the suspect in his tracks. After being door-checked by the good Samaritan, the suspect took a tumble as he was struck by the vehicle’s door. An officer then used the opportunity to pounce on the suspect as he fell to the ground.
The customer is then seen further assisting the officer as he made the arrest. After leaping from his truck, the courageous customer pushed the officer’s Taser, which had fallen to the ground in the struggle, out of the suspect’s reach. He then waited until another officer arrived before leaving the scene, Fox News reported.
The good Samaritan has since been praised for his quick-thinking and the huge part he played in the apprehension of the suspect by both the police and the public.
“A hungry customer, who was waiting patiently for his chicken sandwich, used his door to stop the suspect,” the Jacksonville Police Department wrote on their Facebook page, sharing the video footage of the incident. “The suspect was quickly apprehended after the ‘HANGRY’ (but helpful) citizen reminded the suspect as to why you should never run from the police.”
The police weren’t the only ones impressed. The video garnered a lot of attention, quickly racking up thousands of views, comments, and shares on Facebook. It also made its way to Twitter, where it also received a lot of engagement.
Social media users applauded the local hero, who was affectionately dubbed “mullet guy.” One such commenter joked, “The guy in the truck said ‘not in God’s drive-thru.'”
“Nice door shot. Pop the bad guy, avoid the good guy. Timed great,” another impressed commenter wrote, adding, “Not sure he hadn’t practiced that lol.” In addition to the heaps of praise, a local auto body shop even offered him a free door glass for his pickup.
While it’s usually Chick-fil-A employees who are typically praised for their helpful attitude and going the extra mile, it seems their customers can also prove most helpful. All it took was one hungry customer to help stop a crime, and he probably still got his order on time. I don’t know about you, but I love a story with a happy ending.
