Austin security guard who quit after being blamed for attack starts new job

Austin, Texas – An Austin security guard who quit his job during an interview with FOX 7 started a new job on Monday, July 1, exactly one week after he was attacked by two intruders at work.

Percy Payne, 33, quit after his former boss blamed him for the assault. His new employer saw our story and hired Payne immediately.

Payne started his new job at Central Texas Gun Works in South Austin on Monday.

“They let me train today,” said Payne. “The whole environment was really, really nice. There’s a positive energy here and I like that.”

“I think he will be a wonderful addition to the team,” said Michael Cargill, owner of Central Texas Gun Works.

It’s been a turbulent week for Payne, a security guard by trade. On June 24, he was attacked by two young men while working at a building in East Austin. Payne tried to detain the teenagers after they sneaked into his private garage and started tinkering with his car.

On Wednesday, June 26, Payne told his story to FOX 7, but was interrupted by his supervisor at Priebe Security, who told him, “We have a policy that you are not allowed to do interviews in your uniform.”

The dispute ended with Payne quitting and his boss blaming him for the attack.

“I felt the need to intervene,” Cargill said. “And I said, ‘Man, this guy deserves a better job.'”

After Cargill saw our story, they gave Payne their number and hired him on the spot.

“I was really at a loss for words. I just thought, ‘Wow, is this real?'” Payne said.

On Monday, Payne focused on gun sales, working with customers and conducting background checks.

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“The first day was great,” Payne said.

However, Cargill would like to see him back in security.

“We’re going to get him certified as a level three security officer, so he can be armed as a security officer and then be able to work night shifts,” Cargill said.

“I’m really excited about this role,” said Payne. “I feel very blessed. And I’m just very grateful.”

The best part, Payne says, is that he can teach his 14-year-old son an important life lesson.

“Know your worth,” Payne said. “If you know you’re good at it and you know what you can do, prove them wrong and use that as motivation.”

FOX 7 contacted Payne’s former employer, Priebe Security, on Monday evening. A company spokesperson would not say whether his former supervisor still had a job, but issued a statement saying, “We are taking this situation very seriously. Our team has conducted our own investigation and is taking appropriate actions.”

Austin police continue to investigate Monday’s attack as an aggravated assault. No arrests have been made at last check.