Dispute At Davie Restaurant Leads To Deadly Shooting
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) -- Police said a fight inside a Davie fast food restaurant ended with one man dead and another in custody.
It happened at the Pollo Tropical at University Drive and Nova Drive, in the Tower Shops plaza. The trouble began inside the restaurant, police said.
"There was some type of verbal altercation inside the Pollo Tropical prior to the shooting," said Davie Police Capt. Dale Engle. "It spilled out into the parking lot. A physical altercation ensued in the parking lot."
That's when people at the restaurant said they heard the gunfire.
"I heard three gunshots, bang, bang, bang," said one witness. "I was sitting in the car, waiting for my order."
After the shooting, the victim's co-worker sprang into action, whisking the victim away to a gas station a couple doors down, trying to get him away from the gunman. The man did not survive.
"The friend of the guy who passed away, he was running, crying, 'oh my god, I lost my best friend,'" said Simo Boukhar, a gas station attendant. "That's it and I saw the guy on the floor who got shot. Shot on the chest."
Witness Francisco Baquedano told CBS4's Carey Codd he was in the drive-thru when he heard the gunfire.
Later he said a Pollo Tropical employee told him the men involved were arguing about politics.
BAQUEDANO: Something politics… she say, go outside. They go outside.
CODD: They were arguing about politics?
BAQUEDANO: Yeah.
CODD: Something about the president?
BAQUEDANO: Yeah.
CODD: That's what the employee told you?
BAQUEDANO: Yeah, the employee.
Officers found the gun on the scene and caught up with gunman.
"As our officers arrived on scene, we confronted an individual who was armed. He was taken into custody and is currently detained," said Capt. Engle.
The regional director of Pollo Tropical put out a statement Friday evening, which read:
"We are heartbroken to learn that the victim in this senseless shooting has died and our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We thank the police for their quick action in apprehending the suspect and are assisting in their investigation."
