A McDonald’s employee was arrested. allegedly shot Florida police say the incident occurred over a customer who was upset that his food order had been miscommunicated.
Lakeland police said in a release Monday that the incident happened around 1 a.m. Friday at a McDonald’s on East Memorial Drive in Lakeland.
“Once a bullet is fired, it knows no mercy. No matter where it goes or what it hits, it’s either going to damage or kill.”
Police said customers got into an argument with a waiter over a mistaken order and that the waiter was seen on surveillance video throwing drinks at customers as they tried to leave the establishment.
The customers then pried open the drive-thru window, grabbed cups and threw them on the floor.
The video shows the 22-year-old female store employee re-emerge with a gun, at which point a customer throws a drink through the window.
At that point, an armed store employee went outside to confront the customer. Police say the employee fired shots at the car as it drove away, hitting it at least once. At least one gunshot was seen on video.
Surveillance video of the altercation was obtained by WOFL-TV. YouTube channel.
“Both were at the scene when officers arrived,” police said.
Police arrested the worker, identified as 22-year-old Chassidy Gardner, and charged him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The worker was released from the Polk County Jail on $15,000 bail, according to jail records.
Retired Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon He told WOFL Stories like this are becoming more and more common.
“It was completely unnecessary and unjustified.”
“Unfortunately, a bullet once fired is inexorable. No matter where it goes or what it hits, it’s going to damage or kill,” Rolon said.
“Unless she was at risk of great bodily harm or someone was engaged in an activity that could result in bodily harm, whatever the circumstances, pointing a gun at a drive-thru customer was totally unjust and unreasonable,” he added.
“I am shocked that an employee of a place like McDonald’s would possess such a weapon,” Rolon concluded.
Lakeland is a city of about 120,000 people located about 35 miles from Tampa.
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