On Saturday evening, September 30, in Charlotte, North Carolina, a dispute over change at a Taco Bell drive-thru escalated to violence.
After ordering his meal, a customer grew frustrated, believing he had received the incorrect amount of change. Rather than resolving the matter peacefully, he left the drive-thru, entered the restaurant, and opened fire, wounding an employee several times.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to calls around 9:30 pm about the shooting at the Taco Bell on the city’s east side. Upon arrival, they discovered an employee with multiple gunshot wounds.
The suspect fled the scene, leaving the injured employee who was then rushed to the hospital with life-threatening wounds. With the aid of surveillance footage and eyewitness statements, the police determined a description of the suspect’s vehicle, described as having a “distinctive model.” This vehicle was located later that evening at a local apartment complex, with the vehicle’s registered owner matching the shooter’s description.
Acting on this lead, detectives arrested the victim who was identified the suspect as 67-year-old Doll McLendon by local authorities.
McLendon now faces charges of attempted murder and discharging a firearm within an occupied building. Currently, he is held at the Mecklenburg County Jail without the option of bond. The authorities have not released an update regarding the condition of the injured employee.
Taco Bell Corp. expressed their shock and dismay at the incident.
