A Florida man paying for meals and randomly handing out cash was killed after an argument broke out at a Waffle House restaurant in Gainesville.
ABC News reports that 41-year-old Craig Brewer was paying for meals and handing out $20 cash to random people at a Waffle House near the University of Florida, when a female customer reportedly became upset that the man didn’t pay for her food as well. At some point, Brewer and 25-year-old Ezekiel Hicks, who was with the woman, started arguing.
According to police, Hicks left the restaurant and went to his car, where he got a gun, then walked back into the restaurant and shot at Brewer’s head multiple times. The victim died at the scene. Police captured Hicks before he left because they were already on their way to restaurant, after an employee previously called about overcrowding.
The incident reportedly happened within minutes.
“The why of this case will persists for days and weeks as we conduct follow-up interviews, but the how is incredibly straightforward,” Alachua County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Brett Rhodenizers said. “Out of all the investigations that I’ve seen, very seldom do you have an incident from start to finish on video that ends in a murder.”
“It was literally in the single digits worth of minutes from the time we received the initial call from the Waffle House, saying, ‘Hey, there’s too many people here, we’d like a hand clearing the restaurant,’ to deputies are on the scene, told about a shooting, and we have a suspect in custody and a firearm recovered.”
Security footage at the restaurant apparently recorded the incident, according to FOX35 Orlando.
Hicks allegedly admitted to shooting the suspect when questioned by police. He remains behind bars facing murder charges and unlicensed firearm charges.
Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Ezekiel Hicks/Police Handout]
