Armed Teens Target Man Working on His Pickup—They Don’t Know He’s a Marine Corps Veteran

What began as an ordinary afternoon working on a pickup truck outside his Maryland home quickly became a frightening encounter. But the four teenagers who approached Marine Corps veteran Jheyco Borda may not have expected him to fight back.

A Routine Afternoon Took an Unexpected Turn

In June 2026, Marine Corps veteran Jheyco Borda was working on his pickup truck outside his home in Oxon Hill, Maryland, when four teenagers approached him.

At first, something about their behavior made him uneasy.

“I had a gut feeling when they started putting their hoods on and stuff,” Borda told WJLA.

According to reports, the group surrounded him and demanded his keys and cellphone. The situation became even more serious when one of the teenagers allegedly produced a handgun and pointed it at Borda’s head.

In a matter of seconds, an ordinary afternoon had turned into a potentially life-threatening situation.

Marine Training Helped Him React

Borda had spent years in the United States Marine Corps, and his military experience became important during the confrontation.

When the armed teenager appeared distracted, Borda saw an opportunity to respond. He lunged toward the suspect, and a physical struggle followed.

The encounter was captured on camera.

As the confrontation continued near the pickup truck, Borda’s brother rushed in to help. During the struggle, a gunshot was fired.

The bullet struck the bed of Borda’s truck. Fortunately, neither brother was hit.

The two men managed to restrain the suspects until officers from the Prince George’s County Police Department arrived.

According to the account, all four teenagers were taken into custody. One reportedly sustained minor injuries and received medical attention.

Borda Reflected on His Military Experience

After the incident, Borda spoke about how his Marine Corps training influenced his reaction.

“Once a Marine, always a Marine,” he told Fox 5.

He also explained that his training seemed to take over in the critical moment.

“It took me just one split second. We went to training for the Marines and that came out right at the moment.”