A restaurant worker in Spartanburg, South Carolina, has been praised for intervening in a fight between customers at Boots and Sonny’s on Monday. The incident reportedly began after one man stepped on another customer’s foot, escalating into punches and leaving the alleged victim with facial injuries and a torn shirt; the worker’s intervention helped bring the confrontation under control.

Security footage reportedly shows Hakeem LaPierre, 37, pulling the suspected attacker over the counter and separating the men after others initially froze. Gregory Tyricus Jacobs, 24, was arrested on an assault and battery charge and held on a $2,344.44 surety bond; police also said his description matched that of a suspect in a separate alleged vandalism incident. LaPierre had worked at the restaurant for two months and said he acted because he believed someone needed to protect the older customer.