Man shot in parking lot of Huntersville fast food restaurant, police say

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A Huntersville fast food restaurant is back open after police said a man was shot in the parking lot Tuesday afternoon.

An employee told Channel 9 two customers were arguing in the drive-thru of the Wendy's on Gilead Road near Statesville Road just after 2 p.m. when one of them pulled out a gun and shot the other.

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"We heard a big pop from the outside drive-thru window," employee Darell Whitley said. " I was looking out the window we were told to get down, run to the back."

Police said the 22-year-old man was shot in the leg and taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

It's unclear what the customers were arguing about.

Wendy’s Employee: 2 customers were arguing with one another in the drive thru when one person shot the another. Employees said they were ordered to stay down and go to the back of the restaurant! #WSOC
— Damany (@DamanyWSOC9) October 22, 2019

After the shooting, the customer who reportedly fired the shots took off in a black four-door sedan with two other men.

Police said the men have not yet been caught, and they hope surveillance video from the restaurant will help find them.

pic.twitter.com/d7rVa9WnR9
— Huntersville Police (@HPDNC) October 22, 2019

Chopper 9 Skyzoom flew over the scene and could see the restaurant was roped off with crime scene tape as dozens of officers canvassed the parking lot for evidence.

Police said incidents like this are a rare occurrence, and they try to keep it that way.