Teen gives first aid to man shot at Beech Grove KFC restaurant

Drew Gardner jumped into action when a man was shot in the parking lot of the restaurant where was working Tuesday night.

BEECH GROVE, Ind. — A family says they're grateful more than ever to all be sitting around the Christmas tree this year.

Just 24 hours earlier, a shooting broke out at a Beech Grove KFC where 17-year-old Drew Gardner works.

"Everyone was freaking out saying he got shot," said Gardner.

The person shot, Gardner said, was his coworker.

"They brought him in and I saw he was bleeding out of his head and my first instinct was to stop the bleeding and stuff, so that's what I did," said Gardner.

Gardner said he grabbed a paper towel and began putting pressure on the man's gunshot wound.

"Once the police got there, I went into the office to make sure I was in a safe place and stuff like that, because I know he was going to be safe with the police," said Gardner.

Gardner's mom, Trisha Sears, said her son has autism and has social barriers. She said she couldn't be prouder of her son for stepping up and helping someone in desperate need.

"I looked at my entire family and I said at that point that I raised my son right," said Sears as she began to cry.

Gardner said he'd do it all over again if he had to.

"My mom showed me texts from her Facebook friends and stuff like that and they're calling me a hero. I don't think I'm a hero. I just think I'm someone who just let someone live longer," Gardner said humbly.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection to this shooting.

The restaurant was closed Wednesday and it remains unclear as to when it will reopen.

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