McDonald’s drive-thru dispute ends with worker shooting at customers, Florida cops say

A customer complaint at a McDonald’s drive-thru erupted in “McMayhem” when a worker pulled a gun and started firing shots, according to police in Florida.

The customers escaped unharmed by speeding away in a vehicle — as the worker stood in the parking lot, shooting at them, Lakeland police said in a June 17 news release.

It happened around 1 a.m. on Friday, June 14, at the McDonald’s on East Memorial Drive in Lakeland, police said. Lakeland is about a 35-mile drive northeast from Tampa.

“The dispute began in the (drive-thru) when the customers/victims felt their order was incorrect,” police said.

“The employee ... argued with the customers (and) threw a drink at the customers as they were attempting to leave.”

Two people got out of the vehicle, forced open the drive-thru window, and grabbed cups off the counter and threw them into the store. One person from the vehicle then threw a drink through the window, surveillance video shows.

That’s when the 22-year-old employee “armed herself with a handgun” and returned to the window, police said.

“The customers drove around the west side of the business and (the employee) walked outside the business with her gun to argue further. While still outside, (she) fired her weapon as the vehicle was leaving the parking lot,” police said.

At least one shot struck the vehicle, police said.

“Both parties were on-scene when officers arrived,” officials said.

The employee was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, police said. She was released on a $15,000 bond, jail records show.

This story was originally published June 18, 2024 at 8:39 AM with the headline "McDonald’s drive-thru dispute ends with worker shooting at customers, Florida cops say."