Crime Bay Ridge

U.S. Marshal released without bail after McDonald’s gun incident

December 20, 2016 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle
An off-duty U.S. marshal is accused of waving a gun around outside this McDonald’s on 86th Street after getting into an argument with a restaurant cashier over his long wait for food. Eagle photo by Paula Katinas
An off-duty U.S. marshal is accused of waving a gun around outside this McDonald’s on 86th Street after getting into an argument with a restaurant cashier over his long wait for food. Eagle photo by Paula Katinas
Share this:

Bay Ridge is still buzzing about a bizarre incident that took place in a McDonald’s restaurant early Saturday morning. A U.S. Marshal who allegedly grew so impatient with his long wait for a burger that he pulled out a gun and terrorized customers was released eventually without bail and remains free, authorities said.

Hours after the dangerous incident, the suspect, U.S. Marshal Charles Brown, 30, of Bay Ridge, was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court on charges of menacing, harassment and violating firearm license regulations.

Brown was off-duty when he entered the McDonald’s at 430 86th St. at around 1:20 a.m. on Saturday, according to police, who said the fast food restaurant was crowded at the time, despite the early morning hour.

Subscribe to our newsletters

The suspect apparently became enraged while waiting for his order to be filled and got into an argument with the cashier who was standing behind the counter, authorities said.

Brown stormed out of McDonald’s, whipped out a gun and stood on the sidewalk pointing the weapon inside the fast food eatery, authorities said. He also allegedly pointed the gun at a customer who had tried to come to the cashier’s aid during the argument.

Terrified customers scrambled to get out of the way. McDonald’s workers quickly called 911.

Police arrived at the scene, searched the vicinity and found Brown a block away on Fourth Avenue and 87th Street, authorities said. He was taken into custody.

A judge who presided over Brown’s arraignment issued orders of protection for the McDonald’s cashier and for a customer who had tried to come to the cashier’s aid during the wild scene, the New York Post reported.

The McDonald’s where the incident took place is located on a busy corridor of shops known as the Bay Ridge 86th Street Business Improvement District.

The event was still a hot topic of discussion on Tuesday morning, four days after it took place.

“It’s scary to think that someone can lose their temper over nothing and pull out a gun. It makes you wonder who’s standing on line behind you,” one woman said as she exited the restaurant.


Leave a Comment

Related Articles

Leave a Comment