Photo: Willowick Police DEpartment
Authorities in Ohio are looking for the man who pointed a gun at a Black drive-thru employee trying to give him a discount. According to WOIO, the incident unfolded around 9 a.m. Sunday (March 31) at a Burger King in Willowick, and it was all caught on camera.
Howard Vernon, 38, said he was taking the customer's order and applied a promotion, knocking the total price from $11 to around $8. The customer got irate and started arguing with the fast food employee over the breakfast meal.
“He was like, ‘My order can’t be right, it should be like $11,’ and I’m like trying to explain to him that we had a promotion going on, and like it’s cheaper, and he started cussing and getting all loud, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what to tell you, I don’t know why you want to pay more money,’” Vernon told reporters.
The victim claims the customer sped off after the dispute. A minute later, the man returned to the drive-thru window as Vernon was helping another customer. Surveillance video shows the suspect pulling out a gun and pointing it at Vernon. The 38-year-old worker claims the angry customer called him a racial slur and threatened to kill him.
“To know that somebody would do something like that just because I’m trying to give you a better deal and just to flip out like that, yes, it is scary,” Vernon continued. "I don’t know why people are so angry out here at 9 o’clock in the morning.”
Police released surveillance images of the suspect and his gray Honda sedan. He was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and a hat. Anyone with information about him is urged to call 440-585-1234.
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