Marine Corps veteran who stopped armed robbery accepts valor award wearing 'Let's Go Brandon' shirt and a MAGA hat

The Marine Corps veteran who disarmed a burglar and sent his accomplices running in Arizona last week accepted a valor award on Tuesday wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat and a "Let's Go Brandon" T-shirt.

What happened?

According to a Yuma County Sheriff's Office news release, veteran James Kilcer was presented with the YCSO's Citizens Valor Award Tuesday afternoon "for extraordinary heroism and exceptional courage while voluntarily coming to the aid of another citizen during an incident involving criminal activity at extreme, life-threatening, personal risk in an attempt to save or protect human life."

The sheriff's office noted that the Citizens Valor Award is the highest honor awarded to citizens who engage in acts of bravery.

During the ceremony, Kilcer unabashedly donned clothing showing support for former President Trump as well as opposition to President Joe Biden. Evidently, the sheriff's office wasn't put off by the clothing, either, as it proceeded to post an image of the ceremony on its Facebook page.

The phrase, "Let's Go Brandon," is a subtle variation of the chant, "F**k Joe Biden," which has gained popularity in recent weeks after an NBC reporter at a NASCAR race wrongly insisted that fans in the stands were chanting the former rather than the latter.

The phrase has since turned into a rallying cry for Americans who oppose the sitting president and his administration.

What's the background?

Regardless of one's feelings about Kilcer's political persuasions and prerogative to showcase them publicly, all likely agree that his heroic actions warranted recognition.

When a trio of burglars — one of them armed — stormed into a Chevron gas station in Yuma, Arizona, last week, the Marine Corps veteran quickly took matters into his own hands to thwart the crime and protect those around him.

As one of the burglars flashed a handgun and pointed it at the store clerk, Kilcer calmly but forcefully disarmed the suspect, twisting his arm and driving him to the ground. The two other suspects, apparently shocked by Kilcer's quick reaction, immediately took off on foot as if running for their lives.

The amazing act was captured on surveillance video.

Marine stops gas station armed robbery in Yuma by disarming suspectyoutu.be

After tackling the armed suspect to the ground, Kilcer was able to restrain him until officers arrived.

That suspect, a 14-year-old male, was booked into the county Juvenile Justice Center on charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault. A second suspect was arrested Friday on the same charges, while the third is still being sought.

When asked by deputies at the scene how he was able to wrest control of the situation, he reportedly replied, "The Marine Corps taught me not to [mess] around."

Kilcer spoke more a length about the incident during an interview with WCSC-TV on Monday.