A pair of female employees were working at a Subway restaurant when a customer came in and ordered a sandwich. However, once he saw what the women put on his food, he pulled out a gun and shot them, leaving one dead.
Brittany Macon, 26, and Jada Statum, 24, were working at a Subway in Atlanta when a customer entered and ordered a sandwich. The two women had just started working at the restaurant a few weeks prior, and Statum had brought her 5-year-old son with her to her shift. Within minutes, the scene turned into a deadly shootout, leaving one injured and another killed.
Police say that Melvin Williams, 36, entered the eatery at around 6:30 p.m. and ordered a sandwich. He then became enraged over the way that Brittany Macon made his meal. However, instead of asking her to make another sandwich, Williams brandished a pistol.
According to 11 Alive, Williams grew agitated when Macon put “too much mayo” on his sandwich. This resulted in an argument between him and the women, which ended in gunfire. Williams pulled out a gun and opened fire first on Macon. He then turned his wrath to Statum, shooting her first in the stomach and then in the back as she turned to protect her son by pushing him under the counter.
Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. explained that officers arrested the individual that night, thanks to an anonymous tip. He described the shooting as “senseless” and an atrocity that has devastated several families, CBS News reports.
“It was something very senseless, yes, too much mayo on the sandwich, but again, an individual with a gun who decided that that was the course of action to resolve the conflict,” Chief Hampton said. “So yes it’s a sandwich, but more importantly someone who failed to resolve a conflict by just walking away and having a conversation to just reorder a sandwich decided to take actions into his own hands and now we have families who are devastated.”
An armed store manager was also on the scene during the shooting and tried to stop Williams by returning fire. However, he missed and the gunman got away, leading to a “wild shootout in the parking lot.”
The restaurant owner, Willie Glenn, expressed his disdain over the incident. He also praised the young women and gave their families his condolences.
“It breaks my heart to know that someone would have the audacity to point a gun and shoot someone for as little as too much mayonnaise on a sandwich,” said Glenn. “Well rounded, young ladies, really hard workers. Everyone loved them. They came to work every day and just did their jobs.”
Melvin Williams was charged with murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Stephanie Griggs, a sister to one of the victims, has demanded the maximum punishment for Williams.
Jada Statum’s son was reportedly uninjured but has been traumatized by witnessing his mother being shot. Following the incident, police said he will likely need extensive counseling.
Willie Glenn says that Melvin Williams had ordered from the store before without any problem. He chalked the tragedy up to Williams’ inability to resolve a conflict without taking matters into his own hands.
The fact that a life has been taken due to something as trivial as too much mayonnaise on a sandwich is unfathomable. Of course, this was obviously rooted in a much deeper problem, namely rage. Sadly, the women had crossed paths with a vengeful customer who could be triggered at even the least of offenses.
