A Marine Corps veteran defended himself against a group of teenagers attempting to carjack him at gunpoint in broad daylight in Maryland.
Jayco Borda was busy working on his truck in Oxon Hill—just about 10 miles from Washington, D.C.—when four hooded youths approached him around 4:45 p.m. on a Tuesday. Surveillance footage shared on his Facebook illustrates the tense moment.
“Please be careful and be aware of your surroundings,” he advised in the post’s caption.
The teens quickly surrounded Borda, with one, dressed in a red, white, and blue sweatshirt, brandishing a handgun and demanding his car keys and phone.
Taking advantage of a moment when the assailants were distracted, Borda managed to grab the gunman and wrested the weapon away from him.
As chaos ensued, two would-be carjackers sped away while the others nervously circled the vehicle.
Just moments after the scuffle began, Borda’s younger brother rushed out of their home to assist him.
A gunshot echoed amidst the struggle, but thankfully, no one was injured.
Borda’s brother then pursued one of the fleeing suspects. Together, they overpowered the attackers and held them down until law enforcement from Prince George’s County arrived and took all four into custody.
Borda credits his Marine training for equipping him with the skills and instincts necessary to disarm the assailant. “Once a Marine, Always a Marine,” he remarked, noting that everything unfolded in a split second, reminiscent of his training.
He expressed concern over the accountability of the teens and their families regarding the incident. A bullet fired during the confrontation had punctured the bed of his truck, and he mentioned it would cost around $2,000 to fix the damage, which his insurance wouldn’t cover.
Reflecting on the incident, Borda felt fortunate that his children, brother, and his dog Skye—who usually rides in the back seat—were not in the vehicle at the time.
