KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A convicted felon managing a Wendy's restaurant in the Northland is accused of shooting a drive-thru customer after an argument over pulling forward for food and racial slurs.
The shooting happened at 11:15 p.m. on March 20 at the Wendy's restaurant at 4931 North Oak Trafficway, but Kansas City, Missouri, police officers found the victim at a nearby apartment building.
He suffered a gunshot wound to the back of his left shoulder that came out the middle of his chest, according to a court document.
The shooting victim told police he went to the restaurant to get dinner for his family.
KCMO officers and Clay County Sheriff's deputies went to the Wendy's, found the suspect, Terrence Phillips, and arrested him.
The court document states a single shell casing was found in the restaurant's parking lot, and a black Glock 22 handgun was found in the walk-in freezer.
Investigators found out the gun had been stolen from the Norfolk Police Department.
Three Wendy's employees told law officers that Phillips got into an argument with a customer at the drive-thru window.
Phillips left the restaurant a short time later, and the employees told investigators they did not see or hear anything.
The victim, while at the hospital, told detectives he was at the drive-thru intercom when a male employee advised him to pull around to a drive-thru window to order, according to a court document.
He told detectives he didn't understand why he needed to pull forward and asked Phillips about it. The shooting victim claimed Phillips gave him a rude response, and Phillips continued to be rude when the victim pulled up to the window.
The victim got his food and pulled away, but the drinks he bought spilled in his vehicle.
He drove around again to the window to complain, but the employees would not speak to him.
The victim said he drove around the south side of the building and saw the man he had argued with. He also said the man pulled out a gun and fired one shot that hit the victim.
The victim drove home and emergency medical crews arrived shortly thereafter.
Surveillance video from inside the business showed Phillips leave the business, lights activating on a car and a "faint image" of a muzzle flash, according to the court document. Phillps walks back into the restaurant with what appeared to be a black handgun in his left pocket, the court document states.
Phillips told detectives he was the manager of the Wendy's and was working in the drive-thru when a customer pulled up to the menu board.
He told detectives that when customers order chicken late at night, he has them pull forward because the chicken must be freshly cooked, according to the court document.
Phillips said the customer "had an issue with the request," and when Phillips handed him his order, the two men argued.
He also told police that while he took another customer's order, the shooting victim pulled next to the customer's car and began yelling racial slurs at Phillips, the court document states.
Phillips told police he did not shoot anyone, and does not know anything about a gun or why there would be a gun recovered in the restaurant, according to the court document.
He's charged in Clay County Court with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.
His bond was set at $1 million. Phillips is scheduled for a bond hearing next week.
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