A deadly dispute outside a Wendy’s in Memphis has left one man dead and a fast-food manager behind bars—accused of pulling the trigger after a workplace argument turned violent.
According to police, 37-year-old Darelle Bowers, a Wendy’s manager, has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting 35-year-old Stephen Shepard in the restaurant’s parking lot Monday evening. The incident unfolded at the Wendy’s on Winchester Road around 5:20 p.m., when police were called about a disturbance at the location.
The argument reportedly began when a female employee asked to leave her shift early. When Bowers allegedly threatened to slap her, she called Shepard—believed to be a friend or relative—for help. Moments later, a physical fight erupted between the two men.
Video posted to social media shows the chaos that followed. In the footage, Shepard can be seen throwing a punch at a man believed to be Bowers, who is wearing a red Wendy’s uniform shirt. Seconds later, Bowers appears to raise his hands together—possibly holding a firearm—before a gunshot rings out. As Shepard collapses, the man in red walks over to him and appears to slap him in the face.
Witnesses say Bowers already had the gun in his hand before the shooting.
“The person that got shot, he ended up swinging on the manager of the store, and the manager pulled out his gun and shot him,” one witness told WHBQ. “When he first got shot, he was screaming… but after a minute, he just stopped moving.”
Shepard was rushed to a nearby hospital but died from his injuries. Police confirmed he was unarmed at the time of the incident.
Court documents allege that Bowers shot Shepard during the fight, and according to a bail screening form, he admitted to firing the weapon. The two men reportedly knew each other, and Bowers did not resist arrest.
He remains in custody at the Shelby County Jail with no bond and is expected to appear in court Wednesday.
Wendy’s of Tennessee responded to the shooting in a statement, saying, “Our restaurants follow strict safety protocols, including de-escalation training, and we have a zero-tolerance policy on weapons.”
The case has drawn outrage and disbelief online, with many calling it yet another example of everyday disputes turning fatal in a country awash with guns.
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Author: thedailycrime1
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