A 12-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man have been charged with murder after the boy fatally shot an employee at a Sonic Drive-In restaurant in Texas, police said.
The shooting unfolded Saturday night at Sonic’s in the 300 block of South Old Betsy Road in Keene. Local police saying. Keene is located about 30 miles south of Fort Worth.
Angel Gomez, 20, went to Sonic in a car with other passengers and was acting “disorderly” in the parking lot when he was confronted by Sonic worker Matthew Davis, 32, authorities said.
Keene Police Chief James Kidd said Davis confronted Gomez about urinating in the parking lot. nbc dallas–Strong to worth informed.
The two argued and the confrontation turned physical, police said.
During the altercation, a Fort Worth minor who was a passenger in the suspect’s vehicle “recovered a firearm and fired multiple rounds, striking the victim,” police said in a statement.
Kidd said the shooter is believed to be under the age of 12.
He said the weapon used in the attack appeared to be an “AR-style” rifle, and it appeared “at least six shots” were fired and struck the victim.
Police said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident that was not racially motivated or gang affiliation.
Officers were called to the scene shortly after 9:30 p.m. local time, but Gomez and the boy had already fled the area of the shooting.
Officers found Davis “lying in the parking lot having sustained multiple gunshot wounds,” police said.
He was airlifted to Harris Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Gomez eventually returned to the scene and was taken into custody. Police said law enforcement located the minor in Rio Vista, took him into custody and recovered several firearms.
Davis leaves behind a 10-year-old son, according to a fundraiser to support his family and cover funeral costs. As of Tuesday, the fundraiser has raised more than $10,000.
Sonic said in a statement: “We were saddened to learn of a tragedy involving a member of the franchised team in Keene, TX. The franchisee is fully cooperating with local authorities as they conduct their investigation.”