Texas security guard Percy Payne quits his job during a TV interview after being attacked before his boss blames him

A Texas security guard quit his job during a live television interview after an argument with his boss, who later accused him of attacking him while trying to stop two suspected car thieves from stealing his car.

Percy Payne, a Priebe Security employee stationed at a private underground parking garage in East Austin, was attacked when he witnessed two “young Hispanic males on two electric scooters” attempting to break into his car on June 24, according to Fox 7 Austin.

When he recalled the brutal attack in an interview with the news agency, his manager confronted him and told him he was not allowed to speak on camera during work hours.

“We are very sorry about what happened to you,” the supervisor began before scolding Payne.

“We have a policy that you are not allowed to give interviews in your uniform. If you want to do it as a private citizen, you can do that,” she added.

An argument broke out between the two on camera and the supervisor ordered Payne to take off his uniform.

Payne tried to explain to the woman that the interview was the only way for him to get his story out, but the supervisor became frustrated and blamed the security guard for the attack.

The unidentified supervisor again asked Payne to remove his uniform while he complied.

“Is it my fault?” asked Payne, who was wearing a Cleveland Browns shirt after removing his uniform after being told he was the one who decided to touch the suspects.

“Yes, every single one of them,” said his superior.

Surveillance footage obtained by the outlet shows Payne’s physical altercation with the two suspects, who allegedly broke into the garage through an open door around 9:30 p.m.

He followed the two men down the stairs, where he saw them standing next to his vehicle.

“One person was standing at my driver’s door with their back to me, looking back. The other person was standing at my passenger door with their back to me, looking out.”

After spotting Payne, the two ran toward a security gate as the two-on-one brawl between Payne and the suspects began.

“A young man tried to run me over several times with his scooter. And then they started attacking me,” Payne said.

During the attack, one of the suspects reportedly shouted “Hold him” while pulling a screwdriver from his pocket and attempting to stab Payne.

“I let her go and immediately got my work phone to call 911,” he said.

Payne allegedly told the telephone operator that emergency services did not need to come, but asked for a police officer and explained that he had been attacked.

“Even though I told her I had been assaulted, she told me, ‘We’re not going to send cops there because they didn’t steal your car.’ And that’s when I hung up,” Payne said.

After a few minutes, the security guard dialed 911 again, was connected to another employee, and, after explaining his situation again, received an apology.

An hour after the attack, an officer arrived at Payne’s home and explained that his case should have been an “emergency” because the department was investigating it as an aggravated assault.

“I don’t think it was taken as seriously as it should have been,” Payne said.

Payne, a father, has already landed a new job at another security company.

“I woke up the next morning and was about to go on Indeed and start scrolling because I was looking in the medical field and a lot of other things, but something kept pulling me back to security,” he said.

Michael Cargill, owner of Central Texas Gun Works, told the outlet that Payne’s story moved him and offered him a job.

“He deserved better,” Cargill said. “It was just crazy. The fact that he even got into that predicament and that his boss blamed him, his company blamed him and said he was in the wrong.”

Payne says he is grateful for the new position Cargill offered him.

“God bless him, it’s a blessing, so I’m going to take advantage of it. It’s an opportunity, it’s a door, I’m going to take advantage of it, it can lead anywhere,” he added.