A late-night Wendy’s run in Missouri turned into chaos when a manager allegedly shot a customer after a heated argument at the drive-thru, then reportedly claimed he never fired a gun at all.
Terrence R. Phillips, 47, is now facing serious charges, including first-degree assault, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon, according to the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office.
Police say the violence unfolded around 11:30 p.m. on March 20 at a Wendy’s on North Oak Trafficway in Kansas City. Officers responding to the scene found the victim bleeding heavily from his chest. Before being rushed to the hospital, the wounded man told police he had been shot by someone who appeared to be a manager.
According to court documents, the victim told investigators he had left his apartment to pick up food for his family when he pulled into the drive-thru. He said he was preparing to order through the intercom when an employee told him to pull up to the window instead. Confused, he asked for clarification, but said he got a rude response.
The man told police the attitude continued once he reached the window. He was handed his food and drinks, but as he drove away, the drinks spilled. Frustrated, he pulled back around to complain, but said workers inside refused to deal with him.
That’s when things allegedly took a terrifying turn.
The victim said he saw Phillips standing outside. According to the affidavit, Phillips then allegedly pulled out a gun and shot him in the shoulder. The bullet reportedly exited through his chest.
Investigators say surveillance video from the restaurant appears to back up key parts of the victim’s account. According to police, the footage shows Phillips walking outside into the parking lot and toward his car. Officers said there was a faint image of a muzzle flash before he walked back into the restaurant, allegedly with a gun in his left pocket.
Police later said they found the weapon hidden inside the restaurant’s walk-in freezer.
After being read his Miranda rights, Phillips reportedly told investigators that the victim had been told to pull forward because chicken had to be cooked fresh late at night. He admitted the two men exchanged words and claimed the customer later returned and started yelling racial slurs at him.
Phillips allegedly told police he then noticed the hatch on his car was open and went outside to close it. He said the victim drove up to him, and he told the man to “get the f— on.”
But when it came to the shooting itself, Phillips reportedly denied everything.
According to the affidavit, he told officers he did not shoot anyone and knew nothing about any gun or why one was recovered inside the restaurant.
Phillips was taken to the Clay County Jail, where he remains held on a $1 million bond. He is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing on March 31.
What started as a simple fast-food stop ended with a customer seriously wounded, a manager behind bars, and investigators piecing together a drive-thru confrontation that exploded into gunfire.
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