Court testimony described a brief restaurant argument that turned violent.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — A man accused of shooting a customer inside a Snellville Chick-fil-A will remain jailed after a Gwinnett County judge sent three charges against him to Superior Court.
The ruling came Wednesday during a preliminary hearing for Jamaal Jenkins, 44. He is charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and reckless conduct. Police said the April 7 shooting happened inside the Chick-fil-A on Scenic Highway after a dispute between two men who had not met before that morning.
Snellville Police Detective Victor Martinez said in court that Jenkins started the exchange while standing in line. The detective testified that Jenkins told the victim he smelled like cigarette smoke, then called him a “weirdo” and used a racial slur. Martinez said the victim responded by punching Jenkins one time in the face.
The detective testified that Jenkins then pulled a Glock 42 from his pocket and fired three shots. One bullet hit the victim in the chest. Martinez said the gun malfunctioned as Jenkins tried to continue firing. “The defendant chased the victim and attempted to continue shooting until his handgun malfunctioned,” Martinez said.
Defense attorney Teombre Calland told the judge Jenkins acted in self-defense after being hit first. She said her client had no felony convictions, was not likely to flee and would follow an order to stay away from the victim and the restaurant. Prosecutors said the shooting put people inside the restaurant at risk and showed Jenkins was a danger to the community.
The judge denied bond and ruled that the charges should continue in Superior Court. Jenkins remained in the Gwinnett County Jail after the hearing. The victim’s full condition was not detailed in the court account, and the case remains active as it moves to the next stage.
Author note: Last updated May 7, 2026.