Police said a teen employee called her mother after being sent home from work.
BELLEVILLE, Ill. — A McDonald’s manager was arrested after police said she shot the mother of a teenage employee during a fight that began when the worker refused to take out the trash at a Belleville restaurant.
Kathy M. Bledsoe, 44, faces one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon after the July 16 shooting at the McDonald’s at 125 South Belt East. Police said Tynika R. McKinzie, 35, the teen worker’s mother, was shot in the leg and later charged with aggravated battery and mob action. A second female also was struck by the same gunfire, authorities said.
The dispute began around 4:45 p.m. while Bledsoe was the manager on duty, according to Belleville police. Investigators said Bledsoe asked a juvenile female employee to take trash to a dumpster. When the teen refused, Bledsoe told her to clock out and go home. Police said the teen then contacted McKinzie, who arrived at the restaurant with another juvenile female.
A verbal disturbance started inside the restaurant lobby before McKinzie and her daughter went behind the front counter, police said. Authorities said they moved about 75 feet into the back office area, where McKinzie allegedly struck Bledsoe in the face and head. During the fight, police said, Bledsoe pulled out a handgun and fired one shot, hitting McKinzie in the leg. The bullet also hit another female, whose name was not released.
Bledsoe was taken into custody at the restaurant. McKinzie was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police said McKinzie was not in custody after being charged. The restaurant closed for the rest of the day after the shooting as officers investigated the scene and reviewed what happened inside the business.
Belleville Police Chief Matthew Eiskant called the shooting unnecessary and said the case showed how quickly a workplace dispute turned violent. “It seems individuals are quick to resort to violence to resolve disputes without consideration of the impact their actions have on the community as a whole,” Eiskant said. He said the incident could have been avoided without punches being thrown or a gun being used.
A local McDonald’s owner and operator said the restaurant was “shocked and saddened” by the attack. The operator said the company’s focus was supporting the crew and assisting law enforcement. Police did not say whether the gun was legally carried inside the restaurant, and they did not release the name or condition of the second person struck by gunfire.
The case remains in St. Clair County court, where Bledsoe and McKinzie face separate criminal charges from the same confrontation. Police said the investigation remained focused on the fight, the firearm and the events that led to the shooting.