Police said three customers were treated after gunfire erupted inside a West Palm Beach restaurant.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Taco Bell employee was arrested after police said he fired shots at three customers Monday during an argument that began when a water cup was used for soda.
D’Mari Jy’Quan Patterson, 20, faces three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm in the shooting at a Taco Bell near 45th Street and Military Trail. Police said the case began as a dispute over a drink cup and quickly turned into gunfire inside the restaurant, sending customers running and leaving two women with minor injuries.
Officers were called to the restaurant around noon April 27 after reports of shots fired. According to police, three women entered the Taco Bell and asked for a cup of water. Investigators said one of the women then filled the cup at the soda fountain, leading to a verbal dispute with Patterson. A witness recorded part of the confrontation on a cellphone, police said. The video showed Patterson yelling as the argument grew more heated. Investigators said the sound of a firearm being racked could be heard before a shot was fired inside the dining area.
Police said Patterson swung at one of the customers as the first shot was fired. One woman fell to the floor after being shot, and another suffered a graze wound, investigators said. A third woman ran toward the exit. Police said Patterson followed the group outside and fired another shot toward one of the women. That round missed the customers and struck a window near the entrance, shattering the glass. Customers inside the restaurant ran or took cover as officers later surrounded the building with crime scene tape.
The three women left in a vehicle and drove themselves to JFK North Medical Center, police said. Two were treated for minor injuries and released. The third was not struck by gunfire. Investigators said no weapon was found on the customers. Patterson told authorities he believed the women were armed and said someone had jumped behind the counter, but police said witness statements and video did not support that account. Police said the women appeared to be trying to leave when the later shot was fired.
After the shooting, Patterson called 911 and admitted firing the gun, according to the arrest report. He told officers he placed the firearm in a management office before they arrived. Police said another employee had tried to move Patterson away from the customers during the argument. Investigators said the evidence showed Patterson was an active part of the verbal confrontation before the shooting. The restaurant was temporarily closed while police processed the scene, and traffic backed up along Military Trail as police units responded.
Patterson made his first court appearance Tuesday. He remained in custody after that hearing, and court records listed the charges as three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. The case remained under review by the State Attorney’s Office, which will decide how to proceed as the criminal case moves through court. Patterson has not been convicted of a crime. His next known court date is scheduled for May 27.
When reporters returned to the restaurant Tuesday, a window near the entrance was boarded up. Police said the damage came from one of the shots fired during the confrontation. Some customers who spoke near the restaurant described shock after learning what police said led to the shooting. “I mean it doesn’t surprise me the world we live in today,” one customer told a local television station. Another customer said, “Things happen, and we just take it as it is and go from there.”
The shooting remained an open criminal case Wednesday. Police said the dispute began with a water cup, escalated inside the dining area and ended with two injured customers, a damaged window and felony charges against Patterson.
Author note: Last updated April 29, 2026.