INDIANAPOLIS — Court documents reveal that a Wing Stop employee and an unruly customer fired a barrage of bullets at each other earlier this year, sending customers and other employees diving under tables for cover.
According to court documents, the shooting occurred on Jan. 12, shortly before 7:45 p.m., at a Wing Stop located at 5309 W. 10th Street on Indy’s west side.
Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department arrived on scene and reported numerous shell casings and the front glass of the restaurant shattered by bullet holes. Bullet holes were found in the counter and interior walls, and a van parked outside the store also had bullet holes in the hood and in the tire.
Investigators determined from the damage that gunfire was directed from outside the store into the restaurant as well as being aimed from inside the restaurant toward the parking lot.
Speaking to witnesses and employees, investigators learned that a customer — later identified as 49-year-old Lawrence Sneed — came into the Wing Stop to place an order but became irate after being told that the restaurant’s system was down and he would need to make his order online.
Sneed reportedly began yelling and shouting at the Wing Stop employees, prompting a few other employees to come out from the kitchen. Sneed and one employee reportedly began shoving each other after Sneed was escorted out the restaurant’s front door.
Suddenly, gunfire erupted with customers and employees diving for cover.
At first, several employees told police that only Sneed fired a gun. Police later learned from customer testimony and from watching surveillance footage that one of the employees pulled out a handgun and opened fire on Sneed.
Witness accounts didn’t align on who opened fire first, with a customer claiming the Wing Stop employee shot first while several employees said it was Sneed who first pulled out his gun and fired into the store.
An employee said Sneed had been pushed out the front door and had been violently kicking and pulling on the door right before the shooting broke out.
The Wing Stop employee who reportedly shot at Sneed told police he was trying to protect his co-workers. One co-worker vouched for the employee by saying that she felt she would be dead had the employee not taken action.
Sneed ended up arriving back at his apartment where his fiancé called 911 after he collapsed on the floor. Police arrived and found Sneed suffering from gunshot wounds. Court documents reveal that Sneed had a kidney, part of his bowels and part of his pancreas removed due to his gunshot injuries.
Court documents reveal that Sneed spoke to investigators and recalled going to the Wing Stop to order food. He said the employees were rude to him but claimed not to remember much due to being on so much medication.
Investigators confirmed that some of the shells found at the scene were matched to Sneed’s 40-caliber pistol.
On Thursday, Sneed was officially charged with criminal recklessness and attempted battery by a means of a deadly weapon, both Level 5 felonies
An arrest warrant has been issued for Sneed. He was arrested on Friday afternoon.
At this time, no charges have been filed against the Wing Stop employee.
This article was originally published by a fox59.com . Read the Original article here. .