Waffle House cook shot during robbery was trying to protect others

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A Waffle House cook shot during an attempted robbery said he just did what he had to do to protect others.

The shooting happened early Monday morning at the Waffle House on Columbia Drive in DeKalb County.

Channel 2's Audrey Washington was the first reporter on the scene and spoke to a manager who told her what happened.

She said a man came inside with a gun and demanded cash. During the altercation, her cook was shot.

“My people don’t deserve this,” the manager told Washington through tears.

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After the original report that aired on Channel 2 Action News, reporter Tyisha Fernandes tracked down the cook who told her he was just trying to protect a co-worker.

The cook, who didn’t want to be identified, said his co-worker was actually giving the gunman the money from the register but when the gunman cocked his gun in her face anyway, the cook said he had to do something.

"Then when he started pointing the gun towards her, I just went ahead and grabbed it was a little tussle for a second," he said.

During the tussle, the gunman shot the cook in the stomach.

The cook told Fernandes the bullet went in and came right out. He had surgery that evening.

His mother said it's a miracle that her son survived this. She said he's been a natural protector of others since he was a little kid.

"I think he’s always gonna do what he has to do to protect others, he doesn’t think about himself 1st and at that point he felt like there was danger so he reacted as much as he could," she said.

The cook is recovering at a hospital and his family has started a GoFundMe to pay for his medical expenses. To donate, click here.

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