An evening at a Tennessee Burger King turned violent when authorities say two suspects confronted a man over a suspected stolen item before one of them shot the victim's father as he tried to intervene.
Background
According to an affidavit of complaint filed in Shelby County court, Dale Townes, 25, and Trevor Young, 30, arrived at the Burger King located at 1330 Poplar Ave. in Memphis around 6:20 p.m. The suspects drove a white Dodge heavy-duty pickup truck with a trailer carrying a green John Deere lawn mower and other lawn equipment.
Court documents state that the son had worked for Young's lawn service "for years" prior to the incident, and the confrontation stemmed from claims that the son had stolen an Apple Watch. Police say Townes and Young followed the father and son into the parking lot after locating them at the restaurant.
The situation quickly escalated when authorities allege the suspects confronted the son in the Burger King parking lot and began fighting him. The son managed to break away and run back inside the fast-food establishment "to get his father," court documents state, with both suspects following him into the restaurant before all three men exited back outside.
The Investigation
Witnesses told investigators that the father came outside and attempted to defuse the situation but was unsuccessful. The suspects then began aggressively assaulting the son, according to a witness inside the Burger King.
When the father's attempts to intervene failed, he reportedly struck one of the suspects. Investigators allege Townes responded by pulling out a firearm and shooting the father at close range in the left side of his abdomen. According to authorities, Young then told Townes "not to shoot again" before both men fled the scene in their truck.
Memphis Police Department officers responding to the area found the father lying on the ground with a gunshot wound. The son was also present at the scene with injuries to his shoulder that investigators say were caused by being beaten continuously with an unknown object.
The father was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, while the son was transported to a different facility and listed as non-critical. Police recovered one spent 9 mm casing from the scene. The father's condition was later downgraded to non-critical, local NBC affiliate WMC reported.
Detectives reviewed video surveillance from inside the restaurant that corroborated witness statements, showing the son running into Burger King to escape the suspects before they chased him back outside where the shooting occurred. When officers spoke with the son during their investigation, he identified Young as the individual who repeatedly beat him.
Approximately 15 minutes after the attack, police spotted the suspects' vehicle and arrested both Townes and Young.
The Charges
Townes has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and employing a firearm with intent to commit a felony, Shelby County court records show. Young faces charges of aggravated assault and accessory after the fact. Both defendants were scheduled for arraignment following their arrest.
The affidavit notes that the confrontation allegedly arose over claims that the son had stolen an Apple Watch belonging to one of the suspects.
Key Takeaways
- Dale Townes, 25, has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and employing a firearm with intent to commit a felony
- Trevor Young, 30, faces charges of aggravated assault and accessory after the fact
- The father was shot at close range in the left abdomen during an altercation outside the Burger King parking lot
- The son, who had worked for Young's lawn service for years, suffered shoulder injuries from being beaten with an unknown object
- Both defendants were apprehended approximately 15 minutes after the shooting when police spotted their vehicle
What's Next
Townes and Young are expected to appear in Shelby County court for further proceedings on the charges. The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors prepare their cases. Authorities continue to examine evidence including video footage and witness statements to establish the full sequence of events leading up to the shooting.
Investigators have not yet disclosed whether any connection has been established between the son and the alleged stolen Apple Watch that reportedly prompted the confrontation.