A 21-year-old cook at a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Florissant, Missouri, described how he confronted and subdued a robber who demanded cash.
Markell Hitchings recounted that on Monday morning as the restaurant began service, he noticed a man dressed in black. He believed the man was a regular customer going to the bathroom and leaving.
“I thought he was just a regular customer,” Hitchings said. “But I had it back in my mind that he was going to try to do something.”
Shortly after, the suspect returned behind the counter and demanded money from Hitchings’ manager. When the manager dropped to the floor, Hitchings instructed her to hand over cash to avoid injury. After obtaining the money, the robber fled through the front door and around to the back of the business. Hitchings was also in the back area when the suspect approached again.
The suspect demanded Hitchings’ cell phone but he refused, leading to a struggle near the drive-thru. During the altercation, the suspect’s gun went flying from his hand.
“I was screaming for help because I was losing adrenaline,” Hitchings said. “Once I had him in a chokehold, I’m on his back.”
The suspect, Tamon Sleet, eventually grabbed rocks and tried to hit Hitchings with them but failed. Hitchings held down Sleet until police arrived and arrested him. Police recovered a stolen firearm and cash from the robbery. Sleet has also been charged in a separate incident where he attempted to strangle a ride-share driver in north St. Louis County several days earlier.
All three individuals—Hitchings, his manager, and the ride-share driver—survived the incidents. Sleet remains jailed on a $250,000 cash bond after being charged with multiple offenses including assault, armed criminal action, and vehicle hijacking.
