McDonald's workers shot over coronavirus dining area closure

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OKLAHOMA CITY - Two McDonald's employees in Oklahoma City were shot and wounded by a customer who was angry that the restaurant's dining area was closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, police said.

A female suspect was in custody after the Wednesday night shooting, but police have not yet released her name or what charges she may face. The woman entered the lobby of a McDonald's in Oklahoma City and was told the dining room was closed for safety reasons, police said.

The woman "became agitated and fired two to three rounds at employees,” Oklahoma City Police Capt. Ronnie Beck said.

One employee was shot in the shoulder and another employee was shot in the arm, police said. Both were expected to recover. A third employee suffered a head injury during the altercation, police said.

“The safety and security of our employees and customers is our top priority," McDonald's said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement as they investigate this matter.”

The shooting comes amid tensions over restrictions because of efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic that have escalated into violence elsewhere in the country.

This week, a woman, her adult son and husband were charged in last week's fatal shooting of a security guard who refused to let her daughter enter a Family Dollar in Flint, Michigan, because she wasn’t wearing a face mask to protect against transmission of the coronavirus.