A 25-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday by officers from Hillsborough County, Florida, after allegedly shooting and injuring an 18-year-old man with a BB gun outside a McDonald’s restaurant the previous day.
Monday’s incident took place in Brandon, on 502 West Brandon Blvd., with victim Jeremiah Lawson being taken to Tampa General Hospital for treatment.
In a statement, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said officers subsequently arrested Monte Outlaw who has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon along with third-degree grand theft and battery, second or subsequent offense. According to the office, this was the third time Outlaw had been arrested in the past three months and the investigation is ongoing.
Police said Tuesday’s incident began at 8:35 p.m. when Lawson and Outlaw met up outside the McDonald’s, planning to charge their cell phones and use the internet inside. However, an argument broke out between the two men during which Outlaw pulled a BB gun from his waistband and fired, hitting Lawson on the nose.
Sheriff Chad Chronister said: “I’m appalled this man chose to turn his argument violent, and I’m proud of our deputies’ swift investigation and arrest.
“This man will have a long time to think about his actions in the confines of the Falkenburg Road Jail.”
Newsweek has contacted the McDonald’s press office for comment by email.
According to arrest records available through the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office website, Outlaw is currently being held at the Falkenburg Road Jail with his bail set at $40,000.
Justin Sullivan/GETTY
It’s not the first time in recent months that McDonad’s has made the news.
Earlier this month, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski admitted the company had taken a financial hit after being targeted with a boycott campaign linked to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Posting on LinkedIn he commented: “Several markets in the Middle East and outside the region are experiencing a meaningful business impact due to the war and associated misinformation that is affecting brands like McDonald’s.
“This is disheartening and ill-founded. In every country where we operate, including in Muslim countries, McDonald’s is proudly represented by local owner operators who work tirelessly to serve and support their communities while employing thousands of their fellow citizens. That local community connection is the genius of the McDonald’s System.”
In October 2023, there was outrage after four murals in Tampa’s Perry Harvey Park celebrating Black history were vandalized, though city Mayor Eric Defelice told local CBS affiliate 10 Tampa Bay that: “I don’t think there’s any motive behind it.”
In a statement, Tampa Police Chief Chief Lee Bercaw said: “The vandalism of this artwork is an insult to our community and to all those who contributed to its creation.
“It is disappointing to think anyone would cause destruction to this artistic representation of our city’s history. We are working to identify those responsible for this senseless act.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.