A former Chick-fil-A employee in North Texas is accused of siphoning more than $80,000 from a restaurant by manipulating its register system, according to police.
Investigators in Grapevine began looking into the case in November 2025 after the restaurant’s owner flagged suspicious transactions tied to refund activity.
Reviewing security footage, detectives say they identified a former worker, 26-year-old Keyshun Jones, who had been fired about a month earlier.
The video allegedly shows him operating behind the counter without supervision and entering hundreds of fraudulent transactions.
Police say the scheme centered on ringing up large orders of macaroni and cheese trays, then reversing the charges and directing the refunds to personal credit cards.
In total, investigators believe the transactions exceeded $80,000.
Jones remained out of custody for months after the investigation began, avoiding contact with law enforcement on multiple occasions, authorities said.
He was eventually arrested on April 17, 2026, with assistance from the Texas Attorney General’s Fugitive Task Force and Fort Worth police.
He faces charges that include theft of property, money laundering and evading arrest.
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Jail records also list additional counts tied to unlawful firearm possession by a felon and fraudulent use of identification.
Jones is being held on a bond set at $117,500. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted for the alleged crimes.
In a separate case in Florida, a dispute over a drink escalated into gunfire inside a fast-food restaurant, leaving two women injured.
Police in West Palm Beach responded during the lunch rush to reports of shots fired at a Taco Bell on Military Trail.
Investigators say three women walked into the restaurant and requested a water cup before one of them filled it with soda, sparking an argument with an employee.
Authorities identified the worker as 20-year-old D’Mari Jy’Quan Patterson.
Witness video captured the confrontation as it intensified, with Patterson yelling at the women before a gun was fired inside the dining area.
One woman collapsed after being struck, while another was grazed by a bullet that whizzed by.
A third woman fled the restaurant as the situation spilled into the parking lot.
Investigators say Patterson went after her and fired another shot that hit a window near the Taco Bell entrance.
The women left the scene on their own and went to a hospital; two were treated for minor injuries and released, while the third was not hurt.
Patterson later called 911, telling dispatch a customer had come behind the counter.
Officers say he acknowledged firing the gun and said he put it in a back office before they arrived.
He also claimed he thought the women were armed, but investigators reported no weapons were found.
Police say surveillance and witness statements do not back a self-defense claim.
Authorities arrested Patterson and booked him on three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.
He remains in custody awaiting court proceedings, with bond set at $25,000 on each count.
In Missouri, a separate incident at a Wendy’s drive-thru also ended in gunfire following an argument between a customer and a manager.
Kansas City police responded late on March 20 to reports of a shooting at a fast food restaurant on North Oak Trafficway.
Officers found a man with a gunshot wound who told them a Wendy’s manager had shot him.
The victim said he had gone out to get food for his family and was told to pull forward to the window while staff prepared his order.
According to his account, the interaction became tense, and after leaving with his food, he returned to complain when drinks spilled in his car.
He said employees refused to engage with him before he saw the manager outside.
Investigators say the suspect, identified as 47-year-old Terrence R. Phillips, then pulled out a gun and fired.
Surveillance footage reviewed by police appears to show Phillips walking toward the parking lot before a faint muzzle flash is visible.
He is then seen returning inside the restaurant with what officers believe was the firearm.
Police later recovered a gun from a walk-in freezer. After being read his rights, Phillips denied shooting anyone.
He told investigators he had asked the customer to pull forward because food was being prepared fresh and claimed the man returned using racial slurs.
Phillips said he had no knowledge of a firearm or how it ended up inside the restaurant, according to court documents.
He has been charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.
Phillips is being held on a $1 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court later this month.
