Man tries robbing Zaxby’s at gunpoint, Georgia cops say. Then armed stranger steps in
An attempted robbery ended with the accused thief shot outside an Atlanta-area Zaxby’s, police in Georgia say.
The man was thwarted when an armed stranger stepped in to stop the holdup outside the restaurant late Sunday, Sept. 10, according to the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety.
Officers responded at about 10:20 p.m. to reports of shots fired in the parking lot, police said in a news release. There they said they found a man, identified at as the suspect, shot twice in the leg.
The 57-year-old was accused of trying to robb a manager around closing time and “pointed his firearm” at the manager and a witness, Alpharetta Police Lt. Andrew Splawn told WAGA. That’s when the witness intervened and shot the man, Splawn told the outlet.
“I’m glad he was here and was able to stop him,” a Zaxby’s customer told the station. “People do stupid stuff, and there’s consequences.”
Citing preliminary evidence, officers determined the bystander “used lawful force” to defend the victim.
“At this time, we do not anticipate charges for the witness,” Splawn told McClatchy News in a statement.
The suspect, who wasn’t named, remained in custody as of Sept. 12 while he recovers from his injuries. He faces multiple charges, including armed robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Splawn said.
Investigators also recovered the gun.
The restaurant manager was treated at a hospital for superficial injuries and later released, police said.
Haigler Foods, which operates the Alpharetta Zaxby’s, released a statement after the incident.
“The safety and well-being of all our employees and guests is our highest priority,” a company spokesperson told McClatchy News. “At the moment, we are not able to comment further as this is an ongoing investigation.”
Alpharetta is about 25 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published September 12, 2023 at 1:18 PM with the headline "Man tries robbing Zaxby’s at gunpoint, Georgia cops say. Then armed stranger steps in."