Tennessee Restaurant Manager Shoots Customer Over Disturbance: Police

KEY POINTS

A Checkers restaurant manager fired one round at a customer who threw a drink at her
She later approached police and was charged with aggravated assault
No one got injured in the shooting, so she was released after posting bail

Murfreesboro, Tennessee -- A fast-food restaurant manager is facing charges after shooting a customer with a handgun earlier this week.

The woman, identified as 36-year-old Sherrika Starnes, was arrested over the shooting that happened on Wednesday in the parking lot of the Checkers restaurant located along 829 North West Broad Street, the Murfreesboro Police Department (MPD) said in a statement.

Two brothers, whose names were not disclosed by police, had ordered and paid for food at the establishment at around 1 p.m. But one of them got into an argument with Checkers employees after complaining that his order took too long to be served, a preliminary investigation showed.

While the argument was happening, another unnamed man started causing problems in the restaurant's parking lot and threw rocks at the brothers.

Starnes, who was the branch manager, yelled at the men and asked them to leave before going outside the establishment with a handgun.

One of the brothers allegedly threw a drink at Starnes, who fired one round at him. The brothers then ran next door to the Jackson Motel and waited for the police.

No one got injured in the incident, per the MPD.

Starnes later came to the MPD's headquarters to talk to detectives. She is now facing aggravated assault charges.

The manager was released from the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center after posting a $5,000 bond.

A hearing was scheduled on Aug. 22 in Rutherford County General Sessions Court.

In a similar incident that happened in Tennessee last year, a woman opened fire inside a fast-food restaurant's drive-thru window because she was allegedly dissatisfied with the restaurant's long wait time.

The shooter, 32-year-old Keona Jackson, was caught on camera firing several shots into the window of the Burger King located along Memphis' Winchester Road on March 30, 2021.

No employees got injured in the shooting, and Jackson was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder and using a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.