An incident at a Whataburger in Austin has led to the arrest of a 19-year-old employee after he allegedly stabbed a former coworker. The event took place on July 27 at the fast-food restaurant located on Guadalupe Street, near the University of Texas campus. KVUE reports that the disturbance culminated in the employee, Jamone Grant, inflicting a three-inch deep stab wound in the ex-coworker's neck.
Officers responded to a call at approximately 6:30 p.m., finding the victim bleeding profusely. After administering first aid, Austin-Travis County EMS transported the victim to Dell Seton Hospital. A witness at the scene described a man, later identified as the victim, shouting from the back of the seating area as he and his wife were placing an order. The verbal outbursts escalated, leading to a physical confrontation with Grant. As per the witness's account, he threw a knife away from the altercation in an attempt to prevent further violence, only to later see the victim pulled outside to escape the onslaught.
CBS Austin details that surveillance footage showed Grant engaging in a fight with the victim, who did not assume a fighting stance. Grant backed up and placed something in a trash can before pulling out a knife and stabbing the victim. Despite the victim's efforts to step back, he was cornered with no room to escape.
Two days following the incident, Grant contacted police expressing his intention to surrender. During his interview with detectives, he mentioned that he was instructed by his manager to calm the screaming man down. He claimed to have assumed a fighting pose as a deterrent. However, the surveillance footage reveals Grant retracting his story, admitting to police that he stabbed the victim multiple times. A search executed at his apartment resulted in the seizure of the knife and blood-stained clothing. The victim, unable to speak due to his injuries, confirmed through nods that he suffered two stab wounds to the neck and forearm.
Grant is now facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony, and was booked into the Travis County Jail with his bond set at $10,000. As the case unfolds, further details may emerge concerning the events leading up to this violent altercation and the subsequent arrest.
