JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA — An 18-year-old Burger King employee who had plans to join the U.S. Marines was shot and killed Saturday night after attempting to break up a fight between two customers at the restaurant where he worked, according to investigators. The shooting left one man dead and another injured at the Burger King on Blanding Road near Collins Road.
Police Say Fight Between Two Men Escalated Moments Before Shots Were Fired
Deputies with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded around 8:40 p.m. after multiple callers reported a shooting inside the fast-food restaurant. Officers arrived to find two men with gunshot wounds — the teen employee, Matthew Jackson, and a 33-year-old man who survived after being rushed to a hospital.
Witnesses directed officers to 28-year-old Dawud Burritt, who was arrested the following day. He now faces charges of second-degree murder, attempted murder, and burglary.
According to detectives, the surviving victim told officers that he and Burritt had been friends for almost ten years but experienced a falling-out about a year earlier. When Burritt entered the restaurant on Saturday, the surviving victim reportedly tried to shake his hand to make peace. Burritt refused, and the argument escalated into a physical fight.
Employee Stepped In to Stop the Fight Before Suspect Allegedly Opened Fire
Investigators said that Jackson, who was working near the front of the restaurant, attempted to intervene and pull the two men apart. During the altercation, Burritt allegedly pulled out a firearm, prompting customers and employees to scatter…