Publix deli fight witness: 'Nobody deserves to get beat up'

TEMPLE TERRACE (FOX 13) - Many people believe Publix chicken is delicious, but it's probably not worth fighting over.

Several customers filmed as a 59-year-old man was punched and kicked repeatedly in the deli of the Busch Boulevard grocery store last week.

"I was just kind of hoping it was going to settle down. I didn't want it to turn into anything else," witness Jessica Jordan recalled.

Her video shows an all-out brawl right in front of a display of baked goods. 

Before punches were thrown, Jordan said, the victim was in line for a chicken dinner.  Words were exchanged between the victim and a Publix employee when the employee stopped to assist another customer.

"I guess he was rude to the deli girl, so the other deli guy got upset," Jordan continued.

As the victim and the deli employee verbally went at it, Jordan said, other customers tried to calm both men down.

"He started yelling at other customers saying, 'Mind your business,'" she said.  "The guy ordering the chicken tried to get the guy working in the deli to come over the counter and fight him."

Jordan said the victim egged it on.

"He just pretty much said, 'You won't come over that counter.'"

Around that time, other customers jumped in.

"I don't know why threw the first punch because I happened to be turned the other way. I was still ordering my chicken, but when I turned around they were chasing after him."

The mob got to him, and Jordan watched as 25-year-old Leon Lightbody and others whaled on the 59-year-old victim.

"The person recording was like, 'Beat that old man up. Beat him up.'"

Moments later, Jordan called 911 as Publix employees broke up the brawl.  The victim and Lightbody left, but that night, Temple Terrace police arrested Lightbody and charged him with simple battery.

FOX 13 met with the victim at his home.  He would not go on-camera at the advice of his attorney, though that attorney said that they'd be willing to talk further once they get more information.

A spokesperson for Publix said, "that's not a normal thing to happen at any Publix."

Jordan agreed.

"Nobody deserves to get beat up."