Orlando youth praised at White House now in jail
Three months ago, 19-year-old Johnny Brummit was flown to the White House, where he shook hands with President Donald Trump, met with Ivanka Trump and talked about how his life had changed after enrolling in an Orlando culinary training program.
“I wanted to let people know, no matter where you come from, you’ve got to keep pushing,” he said at the time.
But last week, Brummit — who had previously admitted to having a juvenile arrest record — was arrested as an adult, this time on charges of attempted felony murder, robbery with a firearm and battery on a uniformed security officer. On Monday, he was still in Orange County jail, where he was being held without bond.
“Our hearts are really heavy for him, his family and the victim,” said Greg Higgerson, vice president of development at Second
Harvest Food Bank, where Brummit had graduated from a 16-week culinary training program for atrisk and economically disadvantaged students. “He shows great promise as a professional. Unfortunately,16 weeks in our program can teach a lot of things, but it can’t teach personal decisionmaking.”
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, on Oct. 3 Brummit became involved in a dispute between Talia Greene-Stover, 20, with whom Brummit had a relationship, and a security officer at the Megabus terminal on South Orange Blossom Trail. The pair allegedly threatened the employee and left, but they later returned with James E. Hird Jr., 43, identified as Greene-Stover’s stepfather, who had a gun, records show.
Hird is also facing multiple felony charges after allegedly firing several times into the security guard’s shoulder and jaw, seriously injuring him.
Brummit, who turned 20 earlier this month, had been working as a prep cook at Aloft Hotel in Downtown Orlando. He had been promoted twice in less than six months and was celebrated at the White House as part of the one-year anniversary of the Pledge to America’s Workers — a Trump administration initiative to encourage companies to provide education and training for workers of all ages.
The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation, one of over 300 organizations to sign the pledge, had invited Brummit to attend the ceremony, where he was one of three workers to speak.
“We’re just devastated over this,” said Aloft’s general manager Craig Leicester. “To be honest, it breaks my heart.”
The hotel is not able to keep the position open while Brummit remains in jail, Leicester said.
Brummit’s attorney could not be reached for comment.