KEY POINTS

  • A Florida man allegedly pulled out a gun at a Starbucks drive-thru because he was irate over his botched order
  • Investigators said surveillance footage shows him brandishing the firearm but not pointing it at a Starbucks employee
  • The employee, who happened to be the daughter of the local police chief, allegedly feared for her life

A 38-year-old man in Florida was arrested Thursday after he allegedly pulled a gun on a Starbucks drive-thru worker because they had messed up his order. The employee happened to be the daughter of the local police chief, according to Miami Gardens authorities.

The 23-year-old woman was working at the drive-thru window of a Miami Gardens Starbucks Wednesday when 38-year-old Omar Wright allegedly pulled out a gun because he was upset that no cream cheese was on the bagel he ordered, WFOR reported, citing a police report.

According to police, Wright allegedly screamed at the employee, who then asked whether he had paid for the cream cheese. The man then pulled out a black handgun and told the barista, who is the daughter of Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt, that he would hurt her, according to WTVJ.

Wright left right after getting the cream cheese but was arrested the next day on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm and armed robbery with a deadly weapon.

Surveillance footage showed Wright waving his gun, but investigators said he did not point it at her, WPLG reported.

“Mr. Wright’s demands for cream cheese, while armed with a firearm, caused a well-founded fear in the victim leading her to believe that if she didn’t give him the cream cheese, whether he pays for it or not, her life was being put at risk,” the arrest report read.

When he was interviewed by police, Wright said he did grab his gun but claimed it was only because it was falling out of his pocket as he was arguing with the barista. He denied threatening the victim but admitted that what he did was wrong, Miami Herald reported.

In bond court, Wright objected to the armed robbery charge. His attorney argued that there was no reason for his client to be charged with armed robbery since he purchased the bagel. Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer did not find probable cause for that charge.

Wright was released after posting $10,000 bail Saturday, WFTV reported, citing online records.

Meanwhile, Noel-Pratt told local media that even though Wright did not point his gun at her daughter, the 23-year-old feared for her life at that moment.

“He basically said you don’t know who you are dealing with. He was brandishing a weapon while looking right at her and saying those words. So she felt fear, fear for her life. He came up to the drive-through window with a gun in his hand,” the police chief said.

“One thing is that he was unstable and unreasonable,” Noel-Pratt added. “He has no balance of what should occur and was upset about something and took it to a new level.”

Starbucks also issued a statement on the matter, stressing that the safety of their partners and customers will remain its top priority and that the company was thankful no one got hurt.

Wright also took a swipe at the establishment after the incident, claiming it would be best to go to Dunkin’ Donuts in the future rather than Starbucks.

Starbucks
Starbucks will increase minimum hourly wages to $15 per hour. GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / JUSTIN SULLIVAN