Victim identified by family as Dominique Goodman; a 25-year-old manager faces murder and related charges.
PALMETTO, Ga. — A man was shot to death Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of a Bojangles on Roosevelt Highway after coming to help his teenage daughter following a workplace dispute, according to police and relatives. Officers arrested a restaurant manager at the scene.
Palmetto police said the suspect, identified as Maurice Nolan Evans of Forest Park, is charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The victim’s family named him as Dominique Goodman, a longtime auto salesman in the south metro. The case focuses new attention on workplace conflicts spilling beyond the front door, as detectives sort through footage, witness statements and call logs to determine how a routine Sunday shift ended with a killing in a busy strip of south Fulton County.
Dispatchers received a call at 1:15 p.m. about gunfire at 9135 Roosevelt Highway. When officers arrived, Goodman was found unresponsive near the front spaces, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Relatives said Goodman drove to the restaurant after his daughter reported a dispute with a shift manager. Police said the manager’s shift ended around noon, yet he remained in the lot. Moments after Goodman pulled in, an exchange escalated. “It was supposed to be a conversation,” said family friend Marlene Lately, who described the shooting as “senseless” and devastating for the teen.
Investigators detained Evans and recovered evidence from the lot, including shell casings. An arrest warrant states Evans admitted at the scene that he shot Goodman, according to police documents shared with local media. Officers are working to verify the exact number of shots and whether any of the restaurant’s cameras or neighboring businesses captured clear angles of the encounter. No other injuries were reported, and police said there is no threat to the broader community. Evans was later booked into the Fulton County Jail; court records indicate he waived his first appearance Monday morning.
The franchise owner closed the store for several hours while technicians photographed tire positions, measured distances and logged the locations of evidence markers. In a written statement, Bojangles called the incident tragic and said, “Our hearts go out to the victim and all those impacted by this senseless act,” adding the franchisee is cooperating fully with law enforcement. At Honda South in Morrow, coworkers recalled Goodman as a top-performing salesman. On social media, former customers described him as patient and upbeat, while others posted condolences for his daughter.
The Palmetto restaurant sits on a stretch of Roosevelt Highway that funnels weekend church and game-day traffic. Employees said the lot is typically busy around noon as shifts change. On Sunday evening, motorists slowed past a ring of yellow tape, and several workers huddled with supervisors before giving statements to detectives. A tow truck later removed a sedan that had been idling near the front row of spaces, a witness said, as officers finished marking the scene.
Police said their investigation is ongoing and that additional details will be released after evidence reviews and prosecutor consultation. The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office is expected to receive the full case file this week, including surveillance video, ballistics and witness interviews. Arrangements for Goodman’s funeral were not immediately available. Authorities said any future court dates would be posted once the booking process and charging paperwork are finalized.
By nightfall, mourners left flowers against a curb and tied a ribbon to a light pole. “She just wanted her dad,” Lately said softly, standing with relatives near the tape. A passing driver shook his head and whispered, “Holiday time,” before moving along. Store lights glowed behind locked doors as the corridor grew quiet and a patrol car idled at the edge of the lot.
As of Monday afternoon, Evans remained in the Fulton County Jail. Police said the next update is expected after detectives finish reviewing surveillance footage and consult with prosecutors later this week.
Author note: Last updated December 8, 2025.