A heated argument over a soda fountain drink erupted into gunfire inside a Florida Taco Bell when an employee allegedly shot at three women during a lunchtime confrontation, police said.
Officers rushed to the Taco Bell at Military Trail and 45th Street in West Palm Beach around noon on April 27 after reports of shots fired inside the restaurant, according to a probable cause affidavit released Tuesday.
When police arrived, crime scene tape surrounded the fast-food restaurant as investigators began piecing together what they described as a rapidly escalating dispute that spiraled violently out of control.
Authorities identified the employee as 20-year-old D’Mari Jy’Quan Patterson.
Police said the confrontation began after three women entered the restaurant and asked for a cup of water. Investigators allege one of the women then used the cup at a soda fountain machine, triggering a verbal altercation with Patterson.
Cellphone video recorded by a witness captured the tense moments as Patterson shouted at the women while tempers boiled over inside the dining area.
According to investigators, the sound of a handgun being racked can be heard on the footage moments before a shot rang out.
One woman was struck by gunfire and collapsed to the floor, while another suffered a graze wound, police said.
A third woman attempted to flee the restaurant, but authorities allege Patterson followed her outside and fired another shot in her direction. The bullet missed her but shattered a window near the entrance of the Taco Bell.
Terrified customers scrambled for cover as chaos erupted inside the restaurant, with some diners initially unsure whether they had actually heard gunshots.
One witness later told police he realized what was happening only after noticing gunpowder residue and hearing a second shot, prompting him to run from the building.
When reporters returned to the Taco Bell the following day, a boarded-up window remained visible near the entrance — damage investigators say was caused by one of the bullets fired during the confrontation.
“I mean it doesn’t surprise me the world we live in today,” one customer told CBS12.
Another added: “It’s not a problem — things happen, and we just take it as it is and go from there.”
Despite the terrifying scene, all three women survived.
The women drove themselves to JFK North Medical Center, where police said two were treated for minor injuries and released, while the third woman was not injured.
After the shooting, Patterson allegedly called 911 himself and told dispatchers that a customer had jumped behind the counter.
According to an arrest affidavit, Patterson admitted firing the gun and directed officers to the management office where he had hidden the weapon before police arrived.
Investigators said Patterson later claimed he believed the women were armed. However, police said no weapons were found, and surveillance footage along with witness statements did not support a claim of self-defense.
Authorities added that the women appeared to be attempting to leave the restaurant when additional shots were fired.
