Colorado man sentenced to 13 years for shooting Waffle House cook over mask

An Arapahoe County District Court judge sentenced a Colorado man to more than a decade behind bars for a shooting at an Aurora Waffle House back in 2020. 

Earlier this month, Kelvin Watson, 30, was sentenced to 13 years in the Department of Corrections by Arapahoe County District Court Judge Jacob Edson for shooting a Waffle House cook. 

On May 12, 2020, around midnight, Watson entered the Waffle House to order food in the 12800 block of E. Mississippi Avenue. According to the court, he entered the restaurant without a mask and was told he needed one to be served. 

According to a waitress working that night, Watson "left the restaurant and returned with a mask, but would not wear it."

Watson was asked to leave the restaurant and that's when "Watson pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot the cook," according to the waitress. 

He eventually left the restaurant and the incident was reported to the authorities. 

Shortly after midnight the next day, officers responded to a shooting at the restaurant and discovered the cook who was threatened nearly 24 hours ago was shot in the stomach. 

According to the court, the cook identified Watson as the suspect as the staff deemed him as a "regular" at the restaurant. 

Watson pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder, which is a class 3 felony. He also received a sentence enhancer for committing a violent crime with a weapon.

"While restaurants and stores are public places, businesses have the right to refuse service or ask customers to leave their establishment," District Attorney John Kellner said. "The defendant drove back to the restaurant and shot an innocent employee for no reason other than doing his job."

After Watson is released from prison, he is ordered to mandatory parole for three years.