WATCH: Georgia Chick-fil-A worker fights off armed robber
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A man was arrested Wednesday after police believe he broke into a Stone Mountain Chick-fil-A in early July, grappling with an employee before running off.
Tommie Lee Williams, 51, faces charges of armed robbery, aggravated assault, second-degree burglary, kidnapping, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and second-degree criminal damage to property. The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Marshals took him into custody.
On July 1, Chick-fil-A employee Kevin Blair called 911 around 4:30 a.m. Blair said a man used a rock to smash the drive-thru window at 5075 Stone Mountain Highway and got into the kitchen, telling Blair he would die if he didn’t open the safe. Blair, however, told Atlanta News First he doesn’t have access to the safe.
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“Tried explaining that to him, but he wasn’t hearing any of that,” Blair said. “He was very, very adamant that if I didn’t open the safe that I was going to die.”
The man had a gun, but that didn’t stop Blair.
“Well, if you’re going to shoot me, I’m not going to make it easy,” Blair said.
Surveillance video footage shows the two wrestling over the gun for at least three minutes, throwing punches and kicks.
“We’re trading blows,” Blair said. “I’m hitting him. He’s hitting me. He’s throwing knees. I’m doing a lot of blocking, but my main focus was on that pistol and keeping that pistol pointed away from me.”
Blair managed to knock the gun away, and the fighting continued.
“The only thing that was going through my mind is, ‘I want to see my kids,’” he said. “I’m going to do whatever I can to walk away from this situation and am not carted off.”
The suspect eventually collected his gun and ran away through a rear exit door. Police later found the vehicle they believe he used to drive to the Chick-fil-A, which led to Williams’ identification and arrest.
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Blair told Atlanta News First he’s worked as an inventory specialist at the Chick-fil-A location for two and a half years. Before that, he worked for nine years at another area Chick-fil-A.
“It’s a great company to work for,” he said.
Blair is still processing the experiencing and hasn’t yet returned to work. He said his bosses told him he can return whenever he’s ready.
He said he did try to return to work just a few days after the July 1 ordeal, but that it became a bit too much and he went back home.
“Either way, I think the situation was best played out the way it played out, because I’m talking to you today, and he’s behind bars,” Blair said.
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