CLEARWATER, Fla. — An employee of a Dunkin Donuts in Clearwater is facing charges after police said he shot a customer after an argument on Monday evening.
According to police, the suspect, Khalil Abdul Shakur Shaheed, 22, shot at the victim three times in the parking lot of the store on Gulf to Bay Boulevard, near Sam's Club around 6 p.m.
Police said the victim, a 38-year-old man from Clearwater, was hit twice in the leg and taken to a local hospital. Police said he is currently in serious but stable condition.
According to police, the shooting took place after an argument inside the store. Police said the victim was trying to buy ice cream for his girlfriend and two children.
"There were witnesses, of course store employees and other patrons that were in the area. And the staff at Dunkin Donuts. They tried to separate the clerk from the victim inside and in tried to discourage him from further confrontation," Clearwater Police Chief Daniel Slaughter said.
After the argument, the victim and his family left out of the front door. Police said Shaheed then left out the back door and confronted the victim in the parking lot.
The argument continued, police said, and Shaheed pulled a gun from his waistband and fired.
"I mean, there's really no logic that I can apply to understand how this unfolded. We believe at this point that we're going to move on the presumption that there must be some other information that we're still trying to figure out once we're able to speak more with the victim after his medical treatment. Hopefully, we'll be able to get more details on what led to the argument in the first place," Police Chief Slaughter said.
Police said it's unclear if Shaheed had the gun inside the store.
"We are trying to track the firearm but at this point, we don't see that it's a stolen or illegal firearm at this point and the suspect, who is 22 years old, is not a convicted felon. So, he may have purchased it legally," Chief Slaughter added.
Shaheed is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and carrying a concealed firearm. He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Monday night.
On Tuesday, Clearwater Police released body camera video of Shaheed's arrest and the aid rendered to the victim. Chief Slaughter said the victim's girlfriend and kids were still on the scene as well.
"When I arrived to the store and they were treating the victim on the ground, the kids were maybe six parking spaces away with the female companion watching that unfold," Chief Slaughter said.
Shaheed bonded out Tuesday morning.
