Incorrect Coffee Order Provokes Beating At Lauderhill Donut Shop
LAUDERHILL (CBS4) - Lauderhill Police say a man enraged over being given the wrong coffee order at a Dunkin' Donuts drive thru entered the store, fought with an employee and hit that employee over the head with a loaded gun.
Police arrested Jeffrey Wright and charged him with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Also arrested was a woman who was with him -- Alexis Longo. She is charged with simple battery.
Police say the fight began around 1 pm on Tuesday. Investigators say surveillance video from the store shows Wright and Longo entering the business and having an animated conversation with store employees. As elderly customers -- including one with a walker -- stood just feet away at the entrance, punches were thrown. Several people rushed over to try and break up the fight to no avail.
Seconds later, police say the video shows Wright pulled out a loaded gun and used it to hit the employee over the head numerous times. For a time the parties locked up in a stalemate, then the violence erupted again. Another Dunkin Donuts employee -- Gary Benjamin -- said he was in the middle of the melee trying to keep things calm.
"I was trying to play peacemaker," Benjamin told CBS 4's Carey Codd. "I didn't want things to escalate further than they did."
Benjamin said the employee in the middle of the fight is ok.
"He was struck in the head a few times," Benjamin said. "I heard the blow connect. But he's ok. He's a tough kid."
The police report reveals that Wright is a security guard with a concealed weapons permit. The report says the gun was fully loaded with a round in the chamber.
Gary Benjamin says he still can't believe this type of violence occurred over a cup of coffee.
"He pulled out a firearm and hopefully he'll have to face the consequences," Benjamin said.
