A New Year’s Eve argument over a car door at a Kentucky McDonald’s exploded into gunfire that killed a U.S. Navy veteran who stepped in to protect someone else.
Police say Shoshanha Jones, 39, opened fire outside the fast-food restaurant after becoming angry during a confrontation involving damage to her vehicle, leaving 28-year-old Mayra Rodriguez Munoz dead.
Munoz, a Navy veteran who served from 2017 to 2022 before receiving an honorable discharge, was shot once in the chest after attempting to intervene in the dispute, according to court records.
The shooting unfolded around 10:40 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2025, at a McDonald’s in the 400 block of East Market Street in Louisville, turning a late-night stop for food into a crime scene.
Relatives described Munoz as a hero who stepped in when tensions escalated, portraying her final moments as an effort to protect another person from harm.
“In a final act of heroism, Mayra was tragically killed while trying to save a life,” a GoFundMe description states.
According to Louisville Metro Police, the incident began when Jones became upset with another woman after that woman’s teenage child allegedly struck Jones’ vehicle with a car door.
Investigators allege the argument quickly intensified in the McDonald’s parking area, drawing the attention of Munoz, who stepped between the parties as the situation escalated.
Police say Jones pulled out a handgun and fired a single shot that struck Munoz in the chest, fatally wounding her.
After the shooting, Jones fled the scene before later turning herself in through her attorney, police said.
Authorities took her into custody without incident at the lawyer’s office.
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Jones now faces charges of murder, robbery, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
During a bond hearing covered by WDRB, Jones’ defense attorney pushed back on early accounts of the incident.
“There’s more to this story than the news put out,” defense attorney Keith Kamenish told the court.
Kamenish challenged reports that framed the dispute as involving a child, telling the judge the minor involved is “going to be hitting 18 pretty soon.”
Police have not released the age of the teenager or the mother involved in the argument.
According to investigators, the woman Munoz was trying to protect attempted to record Jones with her cellphone during the confrontation.
Court documents allege Jones responded by pointing the gun at the woman and forcibly taking the phone.
Jones’ bond was set at $500,000, and the judge ordered her to stay away from McDonald’s locations and from the families of witnesses. She is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 26.
Kamenish argued his client did not instigate the encounter, portraying Jones as someone who was lawfully present at the restaurant when others approached her.
“They were approaching her, all three of them at the time of this shooting,” Kamenish told the court.
“It’s one shot, and she was there for a lawful purpose, eating her food, when these people came up and the incident began,” he added.
The attorney also noted that Jones is a mother with multiple children and highlighted that she surrendered peacefully.
The deadly shooting adds to a growing list of violent incidents at the fast-food chain across the country.
In south Texas, another McDonald’s confrontation ended with a life sentence after a customer returned with a gun and opened fire inside a crowded restaurant.
Anthony Landry, 59, was sentenced to life in prison in December for murdering attorney Jeffrey Limmer, 46, inside a McDonald’s along the Katy Freeway in Houston.
Authorities said the May 4, 2024, confrontation began when Landry became enraged over a Filet-O-Fish order missing a patty.
Landry reportedly demanded a refund of $1.41 and began yelling at employees as customers looked on.
Limmer stepped in and ordered Landry to leave the restaurant, pushing him out the door during the confrontation.
Police said Landry fell, went to his vehicle, retrieved a firearm, and walked back inside the McDonald’s.
He then shot Limmer nine times in front of customers and employees.
Despite attempts by bystanders to save him, Limmer was pronounced dead at the scene.
Landry fled but later turned himself in after Houston police issued a murder warrant.
Court records showed Landry was already out on bond at the time for an aggravated assault charge involving a family member.
In California, another case involving a McDonald’s has moved into the civil courts after a deadly attack in a drive-thru.
Jose Juan Rangel filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against McDonald’s Corp. and two franchise operators over the death of his wife, Maria Vargas Luna.
Luna, 58, was fatally injured in March 2024 while waiting in the drive-thru lane of a McDonald’s when she and her husband were attacked.
Rangel alleges a man identified as Charles Cornelius Green Jr. approached vehicles for more than 10 minutes, soliciting money from customers before the assault.
According to the complaint, employees observed the activity through windows and video feeds but failed to call 911 or take action.
“Employees watched the assault unfold through the drive-thru window and on live video feeds and still chose not to call 911 or activate any emergency response,” Rangel alleged.
The lawsuit claims Green suddenly lunged into Rangel’s vehicle, striking him repeatedly through the open driver-side window.
Luna rushed to defend her husband before Green allegedly shoved her to the ground, causing her head to strike the asphalt.
She suffered severe head trauma that led to cardiac arrest and permanent brain damage.
Luna remained on life support for months before dying from her injuries.
Rangel argues the McDonald’s location was known in the community for safety issues and should have had security measures in place.
“Defendants had the means and responsibility to prevent this tragedy, but this business location is notorious in the community for ignoring the safety of its paying customers,” the lawsuit states.
Green was initially charged with felony battery, though that charge was later dropped.
