JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s office reported two people were shot at a McDonald’s on University Boulevard in the Lakewood neighborhood shortly after 3 a.m.
Authorities said there was an argument between a McDonald’s worker and a customer in the drive-thru.
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The argument got so heated that the customer got out of their car and pistol-whipped the McDonald’s employee through the drive-thru window, according to JSO.
Police said at some point after that, the employee who also had a gun with them came out of the building.
There were shots fired between the two men.
The McDonald’s employee was shot in the leg and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The customer was shot in the arm. He took himself to the hospital and is being treated for non- life-threatening injuries.
JSO is working to find out who fired the first shot and what the argument was about.
Police are interviewing someone who was not involved but may have been a witness.
News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst said that the employee could defend his actions as a form of self-defense.
“If the employee believed their life to be in danger, they can use lethal force in an act of self-defense under the stand your ground laws,” Burton explained.
Burton said the charges the two men will face will depend on the details of the investigation. However, Burton mentioned, both men put the public in danger.
“The actions of both put the public at risk. It’s alarming to see so many incidents like this escalate to gun violence. It’s unfortunate that conflict resolution is nonexistent these days and the only way people feel like they can resolve conflict is with a gun,” Burton said. “People should think twice before engaging in a verbal confrontation with others. It’s risky because you never know the person’s mindset and if they’re armed. Today could have resulted into two deaths all for what? Something so minimal and inconsequential.”