Surveillance video shows the woman shielding her children before bystanders intervened and police arrested a suspect.
MARIETTA, GA — A mother used a gas pump hose to defend her children after a man approached their vehicle and allegedly tried to pull them from the car at a suburban Atlanta gas station, according to police and newly released surveillance video.
The confrontation happened shortly after midnight last week at a Shell station on Delk Road in Marietta. Police identified the man as 30-year-old Jerahn Tucker, who was arrested after leaving the station. Authorities said he faces three charges, including attempted kidnapping. A possible motive has not been released.
Video from the station shows the mother standing beside the family’s vehicle while pumping gas. Tucker, who was not wearing a shirt or shoes, approached the car and spoke to her before walking away, according to local news reports and police. He then returned and moved closer to the vehicle.
One child climbed into the driver’s seat and got out of the car. Tucker followed the child around the vehicle as the mother remained between them, the footage shows. At another point, Tucker opened a rear door where a second child was seated.
The mother picked up the gas pump hose and used it to keep Tucker away, giving the first child time to return to the vehicle. The footage does not show the mother spraying fuel. Instead, she held the hose between Tucker and the children as the confrontation unfolded.
Two people leaving the convenience store saw what was happening, dropped the items they were carrying and ran toward the family. Their intervention helped push Tucker away from the vehicle while someone contacted authorities, police spokesperson Charles McPhilamy told local television stations.
McPhilamy said the mother and the witnesses remained calm under pressure, protected the children and quickly alerted police. Their actions allowed officers to respond and hold a suspect accountable, he said. Police have not released the names or ages of the mother and children.
Tucker left the gas station in a vehicle before officers arrived, authorities said. Marietta police worked with Cobb County police to locate and stop him a short distance away. Officers then took him into custody. Police said they found a THC vape inside his vehicle, though available reports did not specify whether that discovery resulted in a separate criminal charge.
A warrant cited by local news outlets says the mother told investigators that Tucker claimed to have a gun before becoming aggressive. Authorities have not said that a firearm was recovered, and the surveillance video does not establish whether he had one. Police also have not explained why he approached the family.
The station’s manager told WSB-TV that Tucker had previously been ordered to leave the property several times. Authorities have not said whether those earlier incidents were related to the confrontation involving the children.
Tucker remained held in the Cobb County Jail as the investigation continued. Information about an attorney, bond conditions or a scheduled court appearance was not immediately available. The allegations against him have not been proven in court.
Author note: Last updated July 31, 2026.