DAVENPORT, Fla. (WKRC) — An argument between a McDonald’s employee and two late-night customers over wait times at the drive-thru led to threats of violence and a possible shooting, police said.
On October 17, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd posted a video on Instagram explaining an incident that occurred around 3 a.m. on October 12 at a McDonald’s restaurant in Davenport, Florida.
Yoan Soto, 21, was working the night shift at the fast food restaurant when two customers, Peter Story, 19, and Nicholas Jones, 18, pulled into the drive-thru, police said. Soto allegedly told the two men he couldn’t take their order because the restaurant was “overwhelmed” with online orders. He apologized for the delay and even said that McDonald’s should “reflect” on how its ordering system works to avoid future incidents.
Judd pointed out that Soto’s manager told him to stop taking orders and that it wasn’t a decision Soto made himself.
Jones and Story allegedly shared no understanding with Soto and immediately began threatening him and telling him they would wait until after his shift to attack him. Soto stood his ground, telling the two men that his shift ended at 4 a.m.
Investigators allegedly obtained security camera recordings showing Story and Jones entering the McDonald’s lobby and threatening Soto with a weapon Judd described as a “switch” and a “30 magazine.” Soto, acting in self-defense, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the approaching men.
“Now the 22-year-old manager is stepping between them to try to stop this commotion from happening because there’s a rattle going on at McDonald’s right now, we can call it a ‘McRattle,’ and it’s not a sandwich,” Sheriff Judd said in his video.
Judd reiterated Soto’s claims of self-defense, saying Soto only pulled the trigger when one of the attackers tried to grab his gun. The bullet grazed Story in the neck, Judd said.
“It’s a blessing that it’s a very minor injury, but you know what? When you start shooting at McGuns, you get people’s attention,” Judd said.
Both men fled after the shooting, as did Soto after collecting his shell casings, according to the post. Soto was arrested and charged with tampering with evidence, while Jones and Story were charged with trespassing after warning and disorderly conduct.
“(Soto) has the right to stand his ground and protect himself, and these guys are threatening violence after already making threats outside the store and coming inside,” Judd said. “They created well-founded fear in him and the store manager. It was just a McMess, but we’re going to fix it because we’re McGood and we’re investigating McCrime.”
