Police said two women were hurt after an argument inside a West Palm Beach restaurant.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Taco Bell employee was arrested after police said he opened fire during a dispute over a customer putting soda in a water cup, injuring two women Monday inside a West Palm Beach restaurant.
The shooting turned a brief argument at the soda fountain into a felony case now under review by prosecutors. Police identified the employee as 20-year-old D’Mari Jy’Quan Patterson and said he faces three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.
Officers were called around noon April 27 to the Taco Bell near Military Trail and 45th Street after reports of shots fired inside the dining area. Police said three women had entered the restaurant and asked for a water cup. Investigators said one woman filled the cup with soda, leading to a verbal dispute with Patterson. A witness recorded part of the confrontation on a cellphone as voices rose inside the restaurant. Police said the sound of a firearm being racked could be heard shortly before a shot was fired.
One woman fell after being shot, and another suffered a graze wound, investigators said. A third woman ran from the restaurant. Police said Patterson followed her outside and fired again in her direction. That shot missed the woman but shattered a window near the entrance. Customers ran for safety as the gunfire spread panic inside the restaurant. One witness told police he realized the sounds were gunshots after seeing gunpowder residue and hearing another shot.
The three women drove themselves to JFK North Medical Center. Police said two were treated for minor injuries and released, while the third was not hurt. After the shooting, Patterson called 911 and told dispatchers that a customer had jumped behind the counter. Police said he admitted firing the gun and told officers he placed it in the management office before they arrived.
Investigators said Patterson claimed he believed the women were armed, but officers reported finding no weapons. Police said surveillance video and witness statements did not support a self-defense claim. The affidavit said the women appeared to be trying to leave when more shots were fired. Patterson was arrested Monday and held pending court proceedings.
The restaurant was temporarily closed while police secured the scene. Crime scene tape surrounded the building, and traffic backed up along Military Trail as officers investigated. The next day, a window near the entrance remained boarded up. “I mean it doesn’t surprise me the world we live in today,” one customer told CBS12 News.
The case remains under review by the State Attorney’s Office. Patterson’s next court steps had not been detailed publicly as of Wednesday.
Author note: Last updated April 29, 2026.