A dispute escalated into a shootout at a Midtown McDonald's, leaving one employee with a gunshot wound. The Memphis Police Department reported that the altercation took place last Tuesday at the McDonald's situated at 1389 Poplar Avenue, near North Cleveland Street. Action News 5 detailed that the incident began with an argument over how to handle incoming food orders.
Although customers were present, none were injured during the incident. FOX13 Memphis reports that Kaden Stewart, 18, who argued with two other employees, was arrested following the shootout and now faces multiple charges including aggravated assault and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.
During the conflict, a shift manager had attempted to diffuse the situation by sending Stewart and another employee on a break. However, adding to the tension, the brother of the other employee involved in the argument entered the restaurant armed, which prompted Stewart to fire multiple shots from the kitchen's rear. WREG quoted a witness, Malcolm Bryant, who lamented the occurrence saying, "I think there is a lot of stress in Memphis and there is a lot of people take out their stress on their fellow citizens."
Stewart is accused of firing at the armed employee, and amidst this gunfire, an uninvolved McDonald's worker was inadvertently shot in the foot. The second employee who fired shots has not been charged yet, as noted in the Shelby County Jail records cited by Action News 5, presumably because he is a minor. Stewart, the only person charged in connection to the shooting, is expected to appear in court today, according to court documents.
The condition of the employee who was shot remains undetermined. Investigators at the scene recovered evidence of the shooting, including spent casings and projectiles, demonstrating the severity of the situation. Bryant continued to express concern over gun laws and suggested, "There should be a special case for Memphis. There should be much better training, education around gun use, gun purchases, gun ownership," as he told WREG.
